


Dragon Born

by Polymer1



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 15:40:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 35,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6711073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polymer1/pseuds/Polymer1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Sasuke defects to Orochimaru and Naruto leaves to train with Jiraiya, Kakashi searches for the strength to do what he could not before. Protect them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dragon Born

When Kakashi woke it was to the dull, grey tiles of the hospital room. Shifting, Kakashi had expected to see one of his students sitting in a chair, or Naruto perched on the end of the bed. The boy had no sense of personal space.

Sitting up Kakashi hissed at the burning ache that throbbed through his head, radiating out from his left eye. He had exhausted himself again.

Testing his muscles Kakashi was ready to get as far away from the hospital as he could, when a nurse walked in with a clipboard in one hand and a frown.

Tensing Kakashi watched her as she moved towards him. He wanted to know what had happened to his students but couldn’t quite bring himself to ask. He had been chasing Naruto, who had been chasing Sasuke, and then what?

The nurse ignored Kakashi, turning instead to the bank of machines that measured his vitals. They were more likely to give her a straight answer than he was.

With a nod and a scribble on the clip board in her hand the nurse flicked a switch and turned to Kakashi.

“You’re free to go Hatake-san.” She said, before walking out of the room.

A muttered “Not that you would stay if you weren’t,” hung in the room.

Kakashi ignored the mutter, lifted himself out of bed and got dressed.

Two minutes later he went on the hunt to find out what had happened to his errant team members.

“Senpai!” The call sounded just as he left the hospital. Kakashi turned to find Tenzo in his off duty garb waving at him.

“Should you even be up yet?” Was the first thing out of Tenzo’s mouth. Kakashi started walking again for fear that the younger man would drag him back into the torture facility.

“Maa, I’m fine, Tenzo. The nurse even said so.” Kakashi answered back, and shot a smile at the younger man, eyes curving upwards.

“This time.” Tenzo muttered before continuing. “Where are you headed to now, Senpai?”

Kakashi shrugged his shoulders, “I thought I’d hunt down my team and see how they were.”

Tenzo stopped walking. When Kakashi turned to look back at him he was twitching and fiddling with his hands.

“Ah, you don’t have much of a team left. Senpai.” Tenzo started and Kakashi tensed.

Images of Naruto and Sasuke bleeding out in the forest flashing through his head.

“What?” He gasped.

“Ah, Naruto-kun left with Jiraiya-sama. Sakura-chan has gone into intensive training with Tsunade-sama.” Tenzo paused, “And the Uchiha has turned traitor to the village and run off to join Orochimaru.” Tenzo explained. Kakashi forced himself to relax.

_They’re alive. At least they’re alive._ He thought.

It didn’t make Sasuke’s defection any easier to bear. With a breath that shuddered in his lungs Kakashi turned towards the memorial stone. Familiarity. Somewhere to wallow without anyone disturbing him.

_And what would you precious students say about that?_ A vindictive part of his mind taunted. _Their great sensei can’t even face his own problems, no wonder he couldn’t help them._

Kakashi gritted his teeth. He tried damn it.

_But you didn’t, did you?_ Kakashi clenched his hands, nails biting into his skin through the cloth of his gloves. _Even now you’re still running, from your sensei, Rin, Obito, your Father._

Swallowing down bile Kakashi stopped walking in the middle of the street. His ears felt funny and he only noticed that Tenzo was talking when he stepped into his field of view.

“...Senpai?”

“What?” Kakashi snapped out through clenched teeth.

“I asked where you were going now?” Tenzo repeated.

He was running again, wasn’t he? Everytime he went to the memorial stone instead of going with the living. Instead of going home he went to the poky little flat he rented and shunned his father’s ghost.

_Running again?_ The treasonous voice in his head mocked.

He should go to Inoichi soon, Kakashi thought. Voices in the head were a bad thing weren’t they?

Stopping in his tracks and so tense he felt he could snap like an overused rubber band, Kakashi scraped together what little courage he had left.

With concerted effort Kakashi forced his muscles to unwind. With steady breaths he turned his steps towards the Hatake Compound. If he was going to stop running from himself then that was where he needed to start. He was going to make himself strong so that his students could rely on him.

He got a few odd looks from other shinobi in the village. The lack of his customary reading material drew more attention than the bright orange book did nowadays.

As Kakashi got closer to his Clan compound he noticed the shadows. Tenzo was a warm presence at his side but the flitting shapes in the shadows and on the roof tops tickled at his senses.

ANBU were always too curious for their own good. But he supposed that he hadn't been back to the compound for twenty years. Avoided that entire part of the village when he could. Of course it would attract attention.

“Where are we going?” Tenzo asked.

“Hatake compound.” Kakashi said, forcing a spring to his step.

Tenzo tripped. Kakashi suppressed a snicker as three other ANBU heard, stumbling over their steps, and one walked into a lamp post.

“What?” Tenzo asked, recovering, his eyes were wide with shock.

Kakashi shrugged. “I got tired of running.” a rueful smile tugged at the corner of his mouth under the mask, “It only took me twenty years.”

Tenzo sighed and looked ahead. “Any particular reason why now?”

To avoid answering he just shrugged again and continued towards the compound.

The compound gate came in sight and Kakashi forced himself not to tense. The wood had split and rotted. The path from the gate to the main house had pits and cracks, weeds growing thick through the pavers. Any decorative plant life that had once graced the curving pathway choked into submission years ago.

Kakashi looked at the entrance to his family home, the familiar feeling of guilt creeping into his gut like a wolf returning to its den to lick old wounds. “I should hire someone to look after this place.” He muttered. On his blind side, Tenzo flinched.

“I can fix the plants.” Tenzo offered, shifting. “And the woodwork.” He added upon closer inspection of the house steps.

Pushing the carved wooden panel aside Kakashi slipped into the dust of his father's house.

It hurt more than he expected it to. The cloying smell of rot and dust itched at his nose, even through the fabric of his mask. With a twinge of worry, Kakashi hopped that the library wasn't suffering from the neglect. He had left the house with Minato-sensei twenty years ago and hadn't been willing to look back.

With careful treads on the complaining floorboards Kakashi moved further into the house. His heart was beating faster than it should. At the end of the long hall was the living room.

Forcing his steps to move towards the thin sliding door Kakashi heard Tenzo mutter under his breath. The floorboards stopped creaking.

Kakashi sighed and cast a glance over his shoulder. He was thankful but did the mokuton user have to start renovating while he was having an internal crisis.

Kakashi froze as a stray thought passed, like the black cats he worked so hard to avoid, had they even removed the tatami mats? Was his father's blood still staining the floor?

His hands were shaking. Kakashi took a deep breath of stale and musty air and forced his hands to still at his sides. He took three steps to the door and slid it open in one move.

_Rip it off like a bandaid._

The stains were still there. Kakashi's knees felt weak and he slid to the floor before he could fall. He could still feel Tenzo behind him, hovering. “Senpai?” Tenzo asked as he leaned over Kakashi's head to look into the room that caused his friend so much grief.

It didn't take him long to see the bloodstains. Black with age and rotted through the tatami into the wooden floorboards.

“Oh.”

Kakashi forced himself to breathe when his vision narrowed and the world around him started to fade to black. Backing out now wasn't an option. And blacking out counted as backing out.

He couldn’t let his students down, even if they had already left.

With a few more deep breaths Kakashi trusted his knees enough to support his weight. Kakashi forced himself upright. Already the air tasted better, the front door was still open. That was it. Open the house. Let the wind come in a blow it all away, all the pain and grief and dirt and dust and the smell of rotted blood. Let the sunlight chase away the lingering ghosts.

It was so typical, that Naruto should be the wind and sunlight. He had a habit of blowing into people's lives and leaving it fresher, cleaner, lighter. Ready for a new start.

Something that Kakashi desperately needed. Something he had needed since Minato had died.

Kakashi moved further into the room. Recognising pieces of a life lived by someone else. Nodding he moved straight to the windows and opened them to the warm breeze. He repeated the motion three times. The room flooded with light and the smell of the fire country forest. When he looked back into the room it was still dusty and dirty and the tatami mat was still stained black.

But he could help the wind.

Three hours later and Kakashi looked as if he had lost a fight, covered from head to toe in dust and dirt. There was a pile of old tatami mats in the garden to the back of the house and every window was open.

He had taken Tenzo up on his offer for woodwork restoration. It had become necessary when one of the support beams threatened to give. The Hatake Clan house was at least livable now. The water still worked, as did the little wiring they had in the house.

After a quick shower to turn his hair white again, rinsing away the muddy brown, Kakashi extended the use of the shower to Tenzo. He went back to the library. It had survived better than he had feared. It was watertight, and they had eradicated the only issue with dry rot. There weren't didn't even have any rats or mice.

Scanning the shelves Kakashi thought of his clan. Not just his father, but the Clan, the Hatake’s and their history bloodline.

He knew so little about them. The few things his father had passed on were in the form of bedtime stories or harsh lessons on the arts of the shinobi.

Kakashi only knew one Clan technique, the White Light Chakra Sabre, and it didn't matter anymore. Not when he had broken the tanto beyond repair years ago.

Picking a large scroll off a shelf he read the first few lines before putting it back. Agriculture wasn't his strong suit. In the shelves furthest from the door, he found what he wanted. The Clans history was barely documented. Only a single scroll sitting in the middle of the shelf. Kakashi took the scroll and settled into one of the old wooden chairs to read.

Iron Country. Blacksmiths. Farmers. Shinobi. The Hatake were of more than the field.

There wasn’t enough though. Not nearly enough. Where were the Clan registries, the Clan techniques? What had happened?

Kakashi sat reading for hours, pulling out maps and scrolls on Iron Country. He was hunting now. Hunting for the origin of his Clan, a tangible history he could touch and use to make himself stronger.

Tenzo had come and gone and returned with tea and onigiri. He settled himself on another chair with the scroll on Agriculture. Kakashi kept his amusement about that to himself.

As the light began to fade Kakashi pulled himself away from studying a map to the old Hatake stronghold and stared out the window.

“Senpai? Shouldn't we think of going soon?” Tenzo asked from the door. Just coming back from the bathroom.

Kakashi snorted. “And let Inoichi and Ibiki have at me before I'm finished? Never. You can tell Tsunade that I'm fine and I'll come see her when I've found what I'm after.”

Tenzo frowned. “What are you looking for senpai?”

Kakashi smiled in his direction, the curve of his eye and the bulge of a cheek the only indicator. “History.”

With Tenzo gone, and three curious chakra signatures absent, Kakashi felt safer digging through the house.

His father had only ever told him that the room was there. He had never seen it before. Opening the hatch in the kitchen floor Kakashi wondered at his father's design. It was genius to put it in the one place intruders were least likely to look.

The was a crackle of dry earth and leaves under his feat. Lifting the torch he had brought Kakashi looked around the room. There were racks and cabinets around the walls and a table in the centre of the room.

In the racks was a selection of swords and knives. Looking closer to the blades Kakashi whistled. They were all made from the same chakra conducting metal as the Chakra Sabre. His father had a small collection of them all this time?

Kakashi moved to the table and set down the lamp.

Before he could return to his inspection the yellowing pages on the table caught his attention. Picking it up Kakashi’s hands trembled and he put down the letter before the fragile paper tore.

“Kakashi,

I wish I could have told you myself but circumstance means that I cannot remain. Threats have been made, and if it was only myself in danger I would not cow to them. But they have involved you and your life I cannot risk...”

Kakashi read the letter again, and again.

He cried for the first time mourning the loss of a father who had loved him.

The letter told Kakashi far more than the scroll in the library about his family's history. He wanted to see the place that his father described. The stone halls and blacksmiths of the Hatake stronghold.

Kakashi left the Hatake compound before anyone else could come to annoy him. He owed his father a visit.

_Twenty years late._

That was where Ibiki and Tenzo found him when the sun had risen. Hunched on the ground and eye still red from fresh tears. Kakashi had cleared the headstone as best he could.

Suicides weren't given priority by gravekeepers.

“Hatake.” Ibiki said, demanding attention. Kakashi didn't look away from Hatake Sakumo's headstone. Only shoving the first few pages of his father's letter into Ibiki's chest.

He wouldn't give them the rest. That was Clan business. They had no right.

Ibiki took the letter and spread out the creases. He had only read the first few lines when he stopped. “I see,” leaning down the taciturn man took Kakashi by his elbow and made him stand. “Come on, we need to see the Hokage.”

Kakashi didn't particularly want to see the Hokage. Not the Sandaime, not the Godaime. But he still stood in front of her desk as Ibiki handed her his father's letter. Unlike the T&I specialist she read all that was there. “Where's the rest of it?” Was her first question and Kakashi stiffened at the demand in her tone. “Clan business.” He said. The blonde woman huffed, annoyed, but didn't bring it up again.

“Alright, Kakashi. I can have his name moved to the honorable death registry. I can even put his name on the memorial stone. But what do you need?” Kakashi flinched, he didn't want the pity in her tone, that was for certain. He wanted...

“Three months outside the village. There's something I need to find.” His father had asked him to save what he could of the old stronghold after all. What Sakumo had been unable to carry then Kakashi could save now.

Tsunade stiffened in her chair. Ibiki tensed beside him. A well...so much for that idea.

“Clan business, you said?” Tsunade said. Kakashi could see the wheels in her head turning. Oiled by the sake she had smuggled past Shizune earlier. Laying her hands flat to the wood of her desk Tsunade frowned. “Would you take someone with you?”

Kakashi considered for a moment. “Not this time.”

Tsunade nodded. “Alright, then. But I want a letter saying you’re alive, at the least, every week. Understood?”

Kakashi nodded. “Understood. Hokage-sama.”

Straightening in her chair Tsunade tilted her chin. “When do you intend on leaving?”

Kakashi paused. “As soon as I get a pack together.”

Tsunade sighed. “Alright, brat. But you better come back, alright?”

Kakashi nodded. He hadn’t felt this...light since before his father had died. “Of course Hokage-sama.”

Sometimes he wished that people were blunt about things instead of treating grief like the elephant in the room.

Kakashi had a spring in his step, he jumped from the Hokage’s window, the woman yelling profanities in his wake. He stuck his hands in his pockets as he made his way to his old one room apartment. It had never been home, just a place to go a lick his wounds.

Perhaps when he came back he would make the compound a home again. Kakashi brushed a hand over his hitai-ate where it covered the Sharingan. It still ached from the traces of chakra exhaustion, but that hadn’t faded in the 13 years he had had it. But for now it served as a reminder. That his students had left, and he couldn’t stop them, couldn’t give them what they needed. Wasn’t strong enough.

When he came back he would be.

Kakashi left the village without telling anyone. Gai would cry if he said goodbye. Tenzo knew he was leaving...and Sakura, was the only one of his students left in the village. The only member of Team Seven. He had neglected her while she was his student. He didn’t have any right on her time now. Not after he had failed her. Tsunade would tell her that he had left anyway. It was something else he would have to fix when he came back.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 1:

It was a two week trek to Iron Country. Kakashi managed it in one. He needed all the time he could get to find his Ancestral home.

The Mountain was the first peak in the range of jagged edges that lead north further into Iron Country. Covered in pale grey rocky outcrops and copses of dark fir trees. The village huddled in the foothills like a child clinging to its mother’s skirt.

The village was a small one. About half the size of Tanzaku Gai. Though it reminded him more of Wave Country while Gato was in power. Roof’s unmended, street pavers cracked and weeds clinging to fences. There was a sense of sheer bloody minded stubbornness and determination.

Kakashi wondered how the people must have felt when the Clan that protected them died.

He got a few odd looks from the townspeople. It wasn’t until he passed a small tea house at the edge of town that he had his first true encounter.

An ancient woman, hair white from age and thinning in wisps from her bun, laughed when she saw him.

“So you came back then!”

Kakashi stopped and nodded in her direction. “Just for a visit.”

She smiled and nodded up towards the mountain. “It is good that you did. Mountain’s been making noises again.”

Kakashi blinked. Nothing he had read indicated that the mountain was a volcano. Active or otherwise. Iron Country didn’t have any volcanoes.

“Making noises?” Kakashi asked.

The woman grinned. A set of startlingly white teeth flashed and Kakashi suspected that she had lost hers long ago. “You’ll figure it out quick enough.”

Thinking, Kakashi turned back to the woman. “I don’t suppose you know a good place to stay in the village?”

The woman cackled. “Of course. You can stay here. Mirai!”

Kakashi blinked as a young woman with brown hair pulled into a tight tail and murky blue eyes came out of the tea house.

“Yes, baa-chan?”

Kakashi grinned, thinking of Naruto.

“This young man here needs a place to stay. He can stay here can’t he?” The old woman asked, smiling up at the younger woman.

Mirai rolled her eyes and looked over to Kakashi, her eyes caught on his hitai-ate, before she shrugged. “Depends on how long he wants to stay?” She tilted her head to him in question.

“Two and a half months.” Kakashi supplied. He intended to take advantage of his vacation. Whether he needed all that time on the mountain or not.

Mirai and her grandmother blinked in surprise. “Alright. I think we can manage that.” The younger said.

Kakashi smiled, eye crinkling and cheek curving beneath his mask. “Maa, I hope I’m not putting you out.” He said as he opened the small gate to the tea house’s garden and up to the veranda.

Mirai snorted. “Not at all. A permanent customer for two and half months? We don’t get that much business in a year.”

Kakashi huffed a laugh as Mirai turned and led him inside the small tea house. It was about what you’d expect from a small establishment at the edge of town. Comfortable but modest. Though it did a far better job at the former than a lot of tea houses he had been in.

“Aa. Then I’m glad to be of help.” Kakashi said, standing in the doorway and waiting for his eyes to adjust.

Behind him the old woman snorted. “Oh, don’t say that. She’ll likely want to kill you or kick you out after the first two weeks.”

Kakashi twisted to look over his shoulder. “Oh? And why would that be?”

“Obaa-chan? That was one time! And he was a pervert.” Mirai said with a huff and smirk as she pulled fresh linen from a cupboard.

“That didn’t stop you from getting along with him.” The old woman huffed.

“It wouldn’t have been so bad if you hadn’t tried to play matchmaker.”

Kakashi stepped out of the doorway and put his back against a wall. He was beginning to wonder at the wisdom of accepting the older womans offer of a place to stay now. He didn't like being in the middle of a fire fight.

“Hah! Now there’s wishful thinking. You, my girl, I could never marry off.”

“Thank kami for small mercies.” Mirai muttered as she passed Kakashi for the stairs. “I’ll just make up a room for you. Feel free to sit down, it should only take a minute.”

“I don’t suppose you’d like a hand?” Kakashi asked, glancing back out the door with trepidation. The last thing he needed was the old woman trying to set him up. Kurenai had figured out why that was a bad idea the hard way.

Mirai laughed. “I don’t think we’d both fit. Room’s big enough for one, but that’s about it.”

Kakashi looked back at the younger woman. She couldn’t be much younger than he was. “Good thing I only need it to sleep in it I suppose.” He mused.

Mirai nodded. “Very good thing. I can promise fresh sheets and food. Not much else though, we don’t get many people through here.”

“Maa, that’s fine. Beat’s sleeping outside.” Kakashi said as he followed her up the stairs, despite what she had said about the room.

“You might want to after a few nights. Obaa-chan snores.” Mirai said.

Kakashi huffed. “Thanks for the warning. Mirai-san, but I should be fine.” Her Obaa-chan should meet Naruto.

The young woman stopped at one of the four doors and opened it to reveal a closet. Said closet happened to contain one bed, one bedside table and a foot stool.

Mirai set about making the bed. “Ano, Shinobi-san, I don’t suppose you have a name?”

Kakashi blinked. “Sorry, Hatake Kakashi.” Kakashi answered with a small bow that had Mirai rolling her eyes.

“Hatake-san, dinner will be ready in two hours. Breakfast is at eight, or you miss it. I can make you a bento for lunch or it will be at one.” Mirai said as she finished the bed and exited the cramped space.

“Thankyou, Mirai-san, I think I’ll take the bento. I’m going to be spending a lot of time on the mountain.” Kakashi said. Depositing his pack in the closet pretending to be a room.

Mirai paused at the top of the stairs. “So Obaa-chan was right then. You are here for the mountain.”

Kakashi watched her as she turned to face him. “The mountain is special to this village. Hatake-san. Please be aware that you may face some opposition if you spend so much time there.”

Kakashi frowned. “Aa, my Clan originated from that mountain. Mirai-san. I think I have as much right as anyone to find what I can there. And more incentive to be respectful of what I find than most.” Kakashi said .

Mirai frowned. “You’re one of those Hatake’s? I had thought they died out in the fire. It’s one of Obaa-chan’s favourite stories.”

Kakashi leaned forward. “Would she tell me?”

Mirai laughed. “Of course. Get her started and shutting her up becomes a problem.”

Kakashi nodded satisfied. “Thankyou for the warning Mirai-san. I’ll be sure to bear it in mind if I encounter anyone.”

Mirai waved her hand. “If you’re one of the Hatake’s of the Mountain they’ll be glad to see you.” Mirai cast an appraising glance over him. “I suppose you look enough like the stories to get a pass.”

Kakashi laughed softly as he followed her back down the stairs. He would have to get as many stories as he could out of the old woman. Kakashi paused for a moment on the last few stairs. “Ano, Mirai-san, what is your grandmother's name?” What was their family name come to that.

“Aa, Ueda Aina and I’m Ueda Mirai. Pleased to meet you.” Mirai mimicked Kakashi’s earlier bow before smiling and slipping off to the kitchen.

Kakashi went back to the veranda to find the old woman, Ueda Aina was eyeing him through the door.

“Ano, Ueda-san, I was wondering if you could tell me more about the Mountain and my Clan?” Kakashi said carefully as he took a seat on a cushion next to the elderly woman.

Aina snorted. “Call me Aina gaki. No one holds on ceremony here.” She paused, staring up at the peak in front of them. “And of course I’ll tell you what I know. I wager that I knew your father. Sakumo-kun?”

Kakashi tensed where he sat at the mention of his father. “Yes.”

Aina nodded. “He was a sweet boy. He left after the fire, few even knew he survived until stories of ‘Konoha’s White Fang’ reached us. He cared a lot for his family. But I should start at the beginning.

The Hatake Clan didn’t care much for the Hidden Village’s. They made an effort to hide themselves from them. For the most part they were content on their mountain and looked after all the villages surrounding it. That’s why they never joined a Village, they had something here to protect, until your father.

Even then, it took an accident. The fire started and nobody could put it out.

It burnt through the stronghold and across the mountain side. For a long time we thought they had all died. But then, during the second shinobi war, we heard of the White Fang.”

Aina stopped speaking, looking out at the Mountain as if she could still see the blaze.

“Do you know where the stronghold was? Where I would have the best chance of finding something?” Kakashi asked.

“North side.” Aina said simply. “The Hatake’s liked getting the most sun.Odd for a Clan raised around the Stormlight, but there you are.”

Kakashi frowned. “Stormlight?”

Aina glared at him. “Don’t you know your own bloodline!?”

Kakashi shrugged. “I know White Chakra. But my father didn’t have the chance to teach me much.”

Aina sighed. “I don’t know much. I was only 10 myself. But they used to do amazing things. Lightning was only a part of it.” Aina trailed off.

Kakashi’s head was spinning. More than lightning, just the thought that he _could_ was enough. Maybe he could make jutsu’s to suit Aina’s descriptions of them. Maybe, maybe he would find records of them and could learn them from Clan scrolls.

Kakashi looked back towards the Mountain. He looked forward to the morning.

That night Kakashi understood Mirai’s warning of Aina-san’s snoring. It was loud, and the walls were thin. With a grumble a few hand signs blessed silence echoed in the small room. Thank kami for that silencing jutsu he picked up from an Iwa nin.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 2:

The next morning Kakashi awoke to sun sneaking through the warped shutters and the smell of miso soup sneaking up the stairs and under his door.

With a sigh Kakashi hauled himself out of bed and dressed quickly before going down stairs.

Today he would start on the northern side of the mountain. He knew what to look for courtesy of what his father saved from the fire. When he arrived in the main room of the tea house Kakashi found that Aina was already up and seated at a table in the centre of the room.

Mirai entered from the kitchen carrying a tray with three bowls of soup, rice and a plate of tamagoyaki. Kakashi settled across from Aina at the table after a rather pointed look from Mirai as she set down the tray.

“Just in time Hatake-san. We were about to start without you.” Mirai said, smirk playing around her mouth.

Kakashi grinned, eye crinkling. “Aa, call me Kakashi. It will be a long two and a half months if you call me Hatake-san all the time.”

Aina snorted into her soup. “Smooth.”

Mirai rolled her eyes and returned his grin before starting her own breakfast. “Alright, then Kakashi-kun. Your bento for today is packed, do you intend to head up the mountain this morning?”

Kakashi was glad for his mask all of a sudden and prayed to any kami who might listen that his ears didn’t turn red. “Aa, yes. I intend to spend most of my time up the mountain. At least until I find what I’m looking for.”

“And what are you looking for Kakashi-kun.” Mirai asked again, a wicked twist to her lips.

Damn. Well, two could play at that game.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head and grinned his false grin. “I’ll know it when I see it, Mirai-chan.”

Mirai followed her grandmother’s example and snorted into her soup. Aina laughed openly at her granddaughter’s expense.

“What was it you said Mirai? ‘Will never marry me off.’ I might stand a chance this time.”

Mirai covered her red face with a hand and shot an apologetic glance at Kakashi. Kakashi smiled back glad of the mask that covered his face.

Kakashi gulped down the last of his tea and stood.

“I should be heading off soon, if I want to make the most of the day.” Kakashi took a step towards the kitchen.

Mirai looked up at him, frowning. “Bento’s on the table. Should be obvious. Don’t do anything too stupid.”

Kakashi grinned. The bento was sitting on the kitchen table as promised. Wrapped in a plain blue cloth and large enough to feed three.

At least he wouldn’t be going hungry today.

Bento in hand Kakashi left the tea house. Aina had said the northern side of the mountain was his best bet. If he hurried he could circle the mountain slope in under an hour.

Pakkun and the others would want to stretch their legs. The pack could help him find entrance...or what was left of it.

Kakashi moved quickly up the side of the mountain, using chakra to balance on the slippery slopes and sticking to the trees that grew in clumps. The few that had survived the fire. Kakashi could just make out the signs that the whole mountain was once covered with the tall firs.

When the morning sun glared one the right side of his face, making sight with his one eye difficult Kakashi stopped.

Biting his thumb where the skin was thin from the frequent breaks Kakashi put his hands together and summoned Pakkun. The small pug looked up at him from drooping eyes as the smoke of the summons cleared.

“Yo, Boss.” Pakkun said through a yawn.

“Pakkun.” Kakashi said, crouched on the rocky outcrop. “I don’t suppose you could find something for me could you?”

Pakkun snorted. “You think I can’t? Who do you need chased down this time?”

Kakashi grinned. “Not someone, something. I’m looking for the old Hatake stronghold. It’s supposed to be here somewhere but there was fire damage and I don’t know how much survived.”

The little dog peered at him curiously. “You finally faced it then?” Without waiting for an answer Pakkun stuck his nose to the ground and sniffed. “Alright Boss, I think I’ve got something, don’t know if it’s what you want though.”

Kakashi sighed. Glad that he didn’t have to answer his summons. The dog could be more insightful than his therapist. Not that that was difficult. Standing, Kakashi signalled for the nin-dog to lead the way. Something was better than nothing.

“What are you smelling anyway?” Kakashi asked after a few minutes. They weren’t travelling fast. Keeping to the rocky ground and enjoying the sun.

“Old air. There’s a cave system around here. I can smell the entrance.” Pakkun said, jumping from one rock to another as he lead Kakashi deeper into the rocky outcrop on the mountainside.

It was a good place for a cave system. Kakashi thought. And any Shinobi Clan worth its salt would use it if they lived here.

“How much further?” Kakashi asked, now that something was close...some thought of making his history tangible, was eating at his nerves.

“Not far, just under that rock.” Pakkun said, pointing with his nose to a large boulder that jutted out of the steep slope, leaving an overhang taller than Kakashi.

Kakashi stepped closer, under the rock and looked to the back where the earth met rock and frowned. There was no gap, no entrance. Nothing that could give him a pass into whatever cave system was beyond.

He knew it was there, he had enough experience with Pakkun’s nose to not doubt the pug. But that didn’t mean that he could go where the dog pointed. Face tense with uncertainty and disappointment Kakashi ran his hand over the solid rock and earth at the back of the overhang. The scab on his thumb catching on the rough stone and leaving a smear of blood on the rock.

Kakashi blinked for a moment before with a crackle of white the rock slid away. The white light, chakra, his chakra, filling carving and grooves in the stone of the passage revealed.

Kakashi held his breath for a moment as he stared at where the back of the overhang had been.

“Pakkun.”

“Yeah, Boss.”

“I think I found it.” The pug huffed at that. Kakashi glanced at him, grinning. Of course the little dog had found it first. Standing Kakashi looked into the illuminated tunnel. The glowing lines form symbols and sigils. Seals. Kakashi realised. Barrier seals and protection seals. Nothing as fancy as those that Uzushio once boasted but more than many Clans had.

Thanking Minato-sensei and Kushina-san for teaching him sealing theory Kakashi stepped into the tunnel. Pakkun following at his heels.

The passage continued for some distance into the mountain. It was only when Kakashi turned a corner and saw the light at the end of the tunnel that he suspected that the cave system took up the mountain itself. The Clan stronghold wasn’t on the mountain. It _was_ the mountain.

Stepping into the light Kakashi looked up and his breath stuttered to a stop.

He had expected some sort of sky light. Letting the sun into the mountains belly. Instead, at the height of the cavern that stretched to the peak, was a shining crystal. Brilliant white light beaming down from where it was suspended by rusted chains.

“Hey, Pakkun.” Kakashi asked when his voice remembered that it only worked when it had air.

“Yeah?”

“Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” Kakashi asked.

“Big shiny rock?”

Kakashi barked a surprised laugh at the pugs response. “Yeah, that would be it.”

Pakkun sniffed the air, testing it. “Smells like a storm.”

Tugging at his mask Kakashi tested the air himself, confirming what the little dog had said. The light and the crystal itself tasted of the sky before rain, of lightning and thunder.

Tearing his gaze away from the crystal Kakashi examined the cavern in which they had found themselves and felt his jaw drop.

The light of the crystal shone down like a miniature sun, illuminating everything in bright white daylight. Kakashi was standing on a balcony carved from the caverns side, it stretched around the sides of cave to form a complete loop. Stairs led down towards bridges that spanned the empty space. Great pillars of carved stone rose up from the cavern floor. All connected by a system of curved bridges. The illuminated carvings that had led Kakashi in the tunnel continued here. Where the light of the crystal was obstructed by shadow, the carvings shone brightly.

Kakashi moved closer to the carved railing of the balcony and peered into the belly of the mountain. Stairs trailed across the cavern walls, openings in the pale grey rock lead to more glowing tunnels. Pillars at different levels had glowing squares in the rock indicating they were hollow towers instead of supports.

Far below, deeper than the mountains base, the silvery sheen of the cavern floor gleamed. Crystal lamps were dotted around the walls of the cavern connecting the glowing lines of sigils. It was little wonder, Kakashi thought, that the Hatake’s had never left their mountain.

The thick layer of dust and ash on the ground and dulling the lights itched at Kakashi’s nose. There was no wood to burn inside the mountain, but the fire and smoke had suffocated anyone remaining inside.

Now that he looked for them, Kakashi could see the mummified corpses. Draped, gasping for air over the bannisters and clawing at their throats. There were hundreds of them.

“There’s something alive down there.” Pakkun’s voice sounded from his elbow.

Kakashi glanced at the pug before returning his gaze to the floor so far beneath them.

“Dangerous?”

Pakkun tilted his head in confusion as he filtered scents through his nose. “No?” The dog answered.

Kakashi shot him an unimpressed look.

Standing from his crouch Kakashi looked down at the web of bridges and pillars, the stairs trailing up the cavern walls like vines. He suspected that there would be a warren of tunnels through the walls and he didn’t want to get lost. Exploring them would happen later. Now he wanted to find this living thing Pakkun insisted was there. And, later, take a closer look at the crystal.

Judging the distances between the bridges Kakashi shrugged he could manage that and still have chakra to come back. Picking up Pakkun, Kakashi didn’t pause to listen to the dogs yelp of surprise before he leapt of the bridge and landed on the one below.

Three more leaps and Kakashi set Pakkun down on the smooth silvery floor of the cavern. Dust and ash puffing up beneath their feet. There were fewer remains here and those that were had been reduced to bone.

“A little warning would be nice.” Pakkun huffed as he shook himself.

Kakashi only smiled in response, looking around. The floor looked different this close up. Instead of a shining silver, Kakashi could see that the light reflected of thin veins of ore in the grey rock. Whatever that ore was it wasn’t anything he had seen before.

The bottom of the cavern wasn’t empty either. Sitting between the bases of the pillar towers, directly under the crystal suspended hundreds of metres above, was a dais.

The dais was tall cutting off just above Kakashi’s head height. It was plain, more like an altar for a funeral pyre than a dais. But the thick veins of silvery metal and brightly glowing crystals said otherwise. There were no stairs, no way to comfortably climb the stone.

Lifting himself up carefully Kakashi saw that it was taken up with about a dozen large stones. Covered in dust they were dull grey all of a uniform shape and size. Sitting on the edge of the dais Kakashi brushed some dust off the nearest rock.

“Uh, Boss?” Pakkun said from the floor.

“Hmm?”

The dust shifted to reveal a brilliant red stone. Where they all gems? Kakashi looked back across at the others.

“The smell is strongest here, but it’s weird.” Pakkun said, voice echoing.

“There’s nothing alive up here Pakkun.” Kakashi said as he brushed dust of the other stones.

They were all different. Dark blue, bright blue that could have rivaled Minato-sensei’s eyes. Gold, green the colour of fire country leaves, murky ocean green and a true emerald, orange that would have made Naruto weep. Purple in three different shades. In the centre of the pile was a stone that, even under the dust, was paler than the others. A few brushes later revealed crisp white that glowed in the light of the crystal.

Kakashi picked up the white stone. It was lighter than he had expected, barely heavier than Pakkun. Turning it in his hands Kakashi watched as the light of the crystal danced over the surface.

Something shifted and Kakashi tensed. It was there, something just tickling his senses. Holding the stone closer to his chest Kakashi closed his eye and reached out with chakra to find the source of the disturbance.

Another shift and Kakashi flinched when it came from the smooth pale stone in his hold. Opening his eye again Kakashi frowned down at the rock. Thinking of Pakkun’s conviction that the life was coming from the dais. As realisation dawned Kakashi looked back over the stones.

A crack and splitting noise rent the air and Kakashi stared as the white shell of the egg split under his fingertips. He could feel them now. Whatever they were. Restlessly twisting in the confines of their shells. As the white flakes of stoney shell slipped off its back Kakashi could feel others starting to crack open their shells.

The small creature sat in his arms, long and sinuous Kakashi thought for a moment that it was a snake. Then it shifted again and the long thin fibres of wings stretched out above it. Shimmering like cobwebs in the light of the crystal.

His breath caught in his throat as the dragon peered up at him through deep violet eyes. A soft trill sounding in the cavern as the light of the crystal washed over them. Highlighting veins and sinking into its skin.

Kakashi blinked as he watched the light disappear into the skin of the dragon. It was drinking the light, lifting its head from where it rested on his chest and drank in the light like it was liquid.

Around him the other dragons, in all the colours of the rainbow, lifted their heads towards the crystal and drank.

With a chirruping cry the dragons around him tripped and slithered from the remains of their shells towards Kakashi. The white dragon in his arms twisted its head to answer. Pressing a warm nose underneath Kakashi’s chin where his mask pooled. He had pulled it down to better smell the air so the dragon’s warm scales, still damp from the egg, met bare skin.

 

* * *

 

 

Kakashi woke to the light of the crystal shining overhead and Pakkun’s worried frown in his face. The weight of twelve baby dragons dragging on his body, and a pounding in his head that could only mean chakra exhaustion.

“How long?” Kakashi croaked from a dry throat.

“Only an hour or so.” Pakkun answered, huffing in annoyance to hide his relief.

Kakashi shifted to sit, the pile of baby dragons covering him sliding around him as they drank in the crystal’s light and huddled close to him.

The white dragon still had pride of place on his chest. With a groan Kakashi shifted his hitai-ate to rub at his eye, the Sharingan was an aching, throbbing presence.

An angry hiss sounded and the pile of dragons twined around his arms and legs before he could move. The delicate looking reptiles proved stronger than he thought and kept Kakashi immobile. The white dragon clawed the hitai-ate away from his eye and struck.

A burning, tearing, white hot pain engulfed Kakashi as the Sharingan was torn from the socket by the dragon. Tiny teeth carefully dragging out the offending eye as cleanly as a surgeon.

Kakashi thrashed against the claws and coils of the other dragons. Panic rose in his throat and he shout out. “No!”

The dragons hummed a soothing tune and the white dragon tore the Sharingan eye to shreds. Rendering it a pile of pulp on the floor of the bridge. Pakkun hunched beyond the pile of dragons. Watching through worried eyes, but not interfering.

Kakashi sobbed as the white dragon bent its head to his gaping socket again. “Obito.”

The pain returned again as the white dragon breathed hot air against the open flesh. He could feel it pushing away at the inside of his eyelid. Itching at the back of his socket where the nerves had connected with the bloodline eye.

Kakashi went slack in the grip of the dragons. The reassurance of the white dragon in the back of his mind clashing with his own pain and guilt.

The white dragon pulled back from Kakashi and with a start he realised that he could see through both eyes. Kakashi blinked and sure enough he could feel the lid slide over a somewhat dry, but perfectly functional left eye.

“What?” Kakashi rasped.

Making an audible sigh Kakashi sat up, the other dragons releasing him to return to their previous pile. Placing a hand over his left eye Kakashi sent a resentful glance towards where Pakkun remained hunched beyond the pile of dragons.

In the back of his mind Kakashi felt a tickle of awareness that wasn’t his own. It made him tense and around him the dragons trilled and stretched their flimsy wings.

“What?” Kakashi asked looking at the white dragon. Eyes too old for a newborn stared back at him and the tickle in the back of his mind tugged again before turning into something more.

“Oh.” Kakashi breathed as he became aware of the little dragons mind next to his own. “Well, that I wasn’t expecting.”

The white dragon trilled at him and a flurry of images swum through his head. Hand seals and jutsu that appeared in a flare of white light and a crackle of lightning. The swirling red of the Sharingan pushing it back.

Kakashi tilted his head in thought. “Are you saying that the Sharingan was stopping me from using my white chakra?”

A feeling that said ‘yes’ unfurled in the back of his head with a trickle of relief.

Kakashi’s shoulders slumped. Even if it had held him back his eye had been Obito’s final gift to him. He would miss it.

 

* * *

 

 

While Kakashi waited for his chakra to recover he explored. The lower levels of the mountain were full of dusty rooms and rotting fabric, the corpses of the Clan littered across the floors.

Kakashi knew the funeral rites of the Hatake’s. He had observed them for his father according to the clan beliefs. It would take a lot of effort to follow them for so many, if only to find all the fallen.

But with the help of his pack he could manage it.

He would have to build the pyre outside, a mass grave.

Kakashi peered through the opening to one of the tower pillars. The white dragon draped across his shoulders and Pakkun at his heels. The other dragons flitted around him like colour streamers, soaking in the light given off by the crystals and carved sigils.

Stepping into the base of the largest tower Kakashi saw a flight of stairs leading up, following the wall of the tower as it curved. Around the edges of the room were stone chests. Carefully carved details of flowers and fields etched onto the grey surfaces, and picked out in silver, gold and bronze.

Curious Kakashi moved closer, dragons piling together on the floor in the centre of the room. Kakashi trailed his fingers over the lid of a chest, following the line of golden vines. The Hatake were rich then. If they carved out the entire mountain then it was likely they had access to several mineral deposits.

He wondered at the riches that must be stored in the stronghold that had been turned into a mausoleum.

When Kakashi tried to move the lid of the chest it didn't move. Adding chakra to his strength Kakashi tried again. This time, as soon as his chakra touched the stone lines of white light spilled over the lid and with a soft groan the lid of the chest shifted.

Inside were stones, crystals. All alight with brilliant white fire. They sent a warm glow on the ceiling of the room and outshine the light of the sigils.

Kakashi’s breath stuttered. He had thought that the crystal hung from the roof of the cavern was fueled by chakra. But these were natural crystalline growths. Unmarred by a jewelers cut or polish. With gentle fingers Kakashi caressed a crystal before picking it up. It was cool to the touch but seemed to hum in his hand. Soothing and safe.

On his shoulder the white dragon crooned. The soft trills of the dragons on the floor filling the chamber. Beside him Pakkun shuffled his feet.

Reluctantly putting the crystal back among its brothers Kakashi turned to the next chest. This one detailed in silver. Touching it was a whisper of chakra the lid gave way, unlike the first this chest held smelted ore, thick chunks of mineral melted away from solid rock. It was silvery in colour and hummed when he touched it like the crystal had done.

Kakashi didn’t know what the mineral was, it wasn’t silver or iron, nor was it platinum. It couldn’t be in such large quantities.

With a shaky breath Kakashi turned to another chest, picking one bound in warm bronze. It opened to reveal cloth packets. Perfectly preserved in the stone chest. Picking one up Kakashi pulled it open to find seeds. Though he didn’t recognise what plant they belonged to.

Frowning Kakashi tipped a few of the seeds into his palm. They were about the size of his thumb nail and transparent. Picking one between thumb and forefinger he lifted it for closer inspection. The white dragon on his shoulders trilled before leaning down and flicking the seed with its tongue.

With a flicker of chakra on the edges of his awareness Kakashi watched as the seed sprouted. Two tiny leaves on a thin stem uncurling from the seed.

Carefully pouring the other seeds back into the pouch and returning it to the chest Kakashi kept the sprout. Trying not to crush the tiny plant Kakashi held it in his palm.

Should he plant it? Where should he plant it? Kakashi grimaced. He would have to ask Tenzo.

Turning up the stairs Kakashi found more rooms filled with stone chests. He found that the chests detailed in gold held the bright crystals, Sun Stones, in varying stages of craftsmanship. If the bottom level was the raw material then, as he got higher, Kakashi found the crystal carved into intricate designs. The chests bound in silver held the ore, only in later levels the ore became a fine metal, stronger than anything that Kakashi had seen before. Higher still, they were full of jewelry and chain armour, Kakashi supposed that the weaponry would be elsewhere.

In the bronze bound chests on the upper floors there were blocks of wood, silvery and smooth with a straight grain. For a clan that used no wood in their own building they had some of the finest carvings Kakashi had ever seen.

The white dragon cooed from Kakashi’s shoulder and Pakkun nudged his ankle, cold nose shocking him out of his reverie.

“It’s getting late Boss.” The little pug said and Kakashi winced at the tiredness in his tone. There was no natural light for him to judge the passing of time but the gnawing hungry feeling in his stomach was a good indicator of the time that had passed.

Remembering the bento that Mirai-san had packed for him that morning Kakashi headed back down the stairs. He had left it up on the balcony.

“Lunch.” He said as he came to the bottom of the tower and the dragons piled on the floor.

With a flurry of wings and streamer like bodies the dragons flew out the door and up. The white dragon shifted on his shoulder and chirped. Kakashi left the tower and looked back up to the balcony he had jumped from so easily that morning. The bridges seemed a lot further apart than they were before. With a sigh and grumble at his still depleted chakra Kakashi jumped. He landed on the first bridge and lept straight off again aiming for the next.

By the time he reached the balcony his breathing was laboured and there was a fine sheen of sweat on his face and trickling down the back of his neck.

As he travelled around the curve of the balcony to find his bento Kakashi got his breathing under control. Wiping away the sweat tickling the fine hairs at the back of his neck.

The dragons were happy to get closer to their food source. And Kakashi settled with his back to the wall and with the white dragon sprawling over his knees. The others crawling over to huddle around him. Pakkun sat on top of the pale lavender dragon while he opened his bento and began to have a large lunch, sharing the egg rolls and chicken with the pug. None of the dragons seemed interested beyond simple curiosity.

Now that he had a moment to think on what the dragons could mean Kakashi wondered if they were dependent on the crystal. If that was their only food source. The trill of the white dragon and what felt suspiciously like a negative answer in the back of head made Kakashi look at the diminutive creature.

“What do you eat then?” He asked.

An image of the sun flashed through his head. That the dragons even knew what the sun was surprised Kakashi though by this point he conceded that he shouldn’t be.

The sort of impossible situation he had found himself in was more reminiscent of Naruto and he wondered if it was contagious.

“So, light in general?” Kakashi asked. It seemed the only thing that made sense, especially considering that they were drinking up the light of crystal.

There was a chorus of trills from all twelve dragons and a restless flapping of wings. Kakashi took that as a positive.

Kakashi finished eating and put the bento away.

Looking up at the crystal again Kakashi sighed. He wouldn’t be getting a look at that today.

“Time we were heading back Pakkun.” Kakashi said, standing. The white dragon crooned and moved to settle on Kakashi’s shoulder again, the others crowding around his legs.

“Oh, no. You’re staying here. I’ll be back tomorrow.” Kakashi said, taking a gentle grasp of the slender creature and depositing it on the floor of the balcony.

A sad coo and a series of whines echoed and Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose. It was still a surprise to find his hitai-ate straight and seeing through his left eye.

“No.” Kakashi said, using the tone he had developed training his pack when they were puppies, and turned down the tunnel, Pakkun trotting at his heel.

 

* * *

 

 

When Kakashi exited the tunnel it was late afternoon, the sun riding low on the horizon. Stretching his arms above his head and feeling much better after a meal Kakashi took off back towards the village at a brisk jog.

Pakkun ran just in front of him, both glad for the chance to run with the feel of the fresh air around them. They had spent far too long in the still air of the caves.

Kakashi slowed as he reached the tea house gate. With a nod to Pakkun and a sigh the little pug disappeared in a puff of smoke. It was full dark by the time Kakashi pushed open the door to the tea house, the little building’s windows glowing a warm welcome in the dark.

There were a few patrons inside as Kakashi headed straight for the stairs. There was a small bath house behind the house and a bath sounded like a wonderful idea. Kakashi wanted to wash off the remains of dust and ash. There were traces of egg on his flak vest as well that looked suspicious.

“Kakashi-san?” Mirai-san asked, coming out of another door as Kakashi reached the top of the stairs.

“Mirai-san.” Kakashi nodded, shifting.

“Are you planning on eating soon, Kakashi-san, I turn off the oven in an hour.” Mirai said.

Kakashi nodded. Even with his late lunch he should still eat. “Aa, after I’ve had a bath.”

Mirai nodded, smiling. “Obaa-chan’s holding a table for you. I think she want to share more stories.”

Kakashi grinned. “I’ll meet her in half and hour.”

With a satisfied nod Mirai left. Kakashi grabbed a change of clothes, a towel and soap before heading back down the stairs and outside to the bathhouse.

Washed and dried and dressed in clean clothes, Kakashi went back to the main room of the tea house. Scanning the handful of tables for Aina’s white hair.

He spotted her sitting at the table nearest the kitchen and Kakashi settled gratefully in the chair across from her.

“What happened to your eye?” Aina demanded upon looking up from her noodles.

Kakashi scratched the back of his head. It was disturbingly easy to forget about his new left eye. He would have to write to the Hokage about that, he could include it in his proof of life letter.

“Aa, had an accident?” Kakashi hedged. He didn’t know what to say, he wasn’t about to bring up the dragons, and he didn’t know how much Aina knew of his reputation and what it was built on.

Aina snorted and raised an eyebrow. “I can see that. The scar is rather obvious, and old. It didn’t happen today and you had your eye covered this morning when you left.”

Sometimes Kakashi forgot just how observant some civilians could be.

Hunching his shoulders defensively, Kakashi was glad when Mirai arrived and deposited a bowl of noodles and broth in front of him.

“Aa, thankyou Mirai-san.” Kakashi said, seizing on the distraction.

Mirai snorted. “If Obaa-chan is giving you a hard time just tell her to pull her nose in.” the young woman said, ignoring the elder sitting at the table. “You don’t have to answer her if you don’t want to.”

Kakashi grinned up at her as she left back through the kitchen door.

“I’m not going to get anything else out of you am I?” Aina huffed, a petulant expression creasing her face.

“Nope.” Kakashi said brightly.

They sat in silence as Kakashi snuck noodles through his mask. Kakashi finished his meal with the mystery of his face intact.

The patrons in the bar kept glancing at him in curiosity and Kakashi flicked his eyes around the room, trying to ignore their looks. It was likely that they had never seen a shinobi before.

“Maa, Aina-san, Mirai-san mentioned that you had more stories about the mountain for me.” Kakashi said at length, scratching at the top of his mask.

“Ryu no Yama.” Aina corrected. “That’s what it's called.”

Kakashi sat forward in his chair. Considering his experiences of that day it didn’t surprise him.

Aina grinned at him, showing those white teeth. “My grandfather used to tell about how when the Hatake Clan first appeared here they settled their compound on the mountain. They were blacksmiths by trade and made some of the most beautiful things. In search of ore they dug into the mountain.

They found their ore, and rich mineral deposits. Gems they hoarded and never let beyond the caves and tunnels they excavated.

They followed the veins of these deposits down, deeper and deeper into the mountains belly. I’ve heard some say that they dug too deep and had to seal away a giant monster, a dragon, others say that they tamed the beast and befriended it.” Aina trailed off.

The silence in the tea house made Kakashi flick his eyes over the room. The handful of other patrons were watching them. Listening to the story.

Breaking the silence Kakashi asked, “Tell me, Aina-san, what do you think they found?”

Aina laughed. “Well they never left did they? I think, if they found anything they tamed it and trained it. Though no one has seen a dragon for centuries.”

One of patrons snorted. An old man with gunmetal grey hair stood from his chair. “And what does that mean to you? Shinobi-san?”

The defensive tone and stance make the back of Kakashi’s neck prickle. He wasn’t here to start a fight.

“Aa, I’m an Hatake. I was curious as to my Clan’s history.” Kakashi said clearly, looking the man in the eye.

The man’s eyebrow twitched. “An Hatake?” His eyes narrowed on his hitai-ate, “From Konoha?”

Kakashi nodded. “Aa. My father moved the Clan, what little there was left of it, to Konoha just before the second shinobi war.”

“So the White Fang did have a son.” The man said, looking at Kakashi like he didn’t think much of the son.

“Ano, aren’t you Sharingan no Kakashi?” Another man asked, before the grizzled patron could open his mouth again. He was a young man with dirty blond hair and dark eyes.

Kakashi dropped his eyes. “Some have called me that. Though it’s a bit of misnomer now. Since I no longer have the Sharingan.”

But he was no less dangerous because of it. Kakashi gritted his teeth. Tomorrow he would find the Clan techniques and study them. He would make the most of the Sharingan’s loss.

A mutter ran through the room.

“That’s enough of that.” Aina snapped, glaring fiercely at the room. “If you have nothing better to do then you should head home already.” The old woman snarled.

In the door to the kitchen Mirai sighed as the room cleared. “You don’t understand that the longer they stay the more money we get do you?” She asked her grandmother.

Aina huffed, “Then they should learn to mind their own business instead of everyone else’s.”

Kakashi smiled under the mask. It had been a while since anyone had defended him so fiercely.

“Aa, thankyou, Aina-san.” Kakashi said softly before standing. “If I want to start early tomorrow I should head to bed.”

Stepping towards the stair Kakashi paused when Mirai called. “Do you want another bento for tomorrow?”

“Aa, that would be wonderful Mirai-san. I left the box on the kitchen table earlier.” Kakashi said, smiling over his shoulder before heading up the stairs.

What an odd pair. He thought.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 3:

The next morning Kakashi rose early and settled in the main room with a scroll and pen laid out in front of him.

Two weeks away from Konoha and Kakashi had to find the words to write and tell the Hokage that he was alive and well, if minus one Sharingan. He had contemplated not telling her, but then he would have to face her wrath when he returned. This way at least some of her anger would have dissipated by the time he got back.

“Hokage-sama,

I’m still alive. I have found my Clan’s stronghold. I regret to inform you that I have lost the Sharingan. You will, however, be pleased to hear that I’ve made new friends.

Henohenomoheji”

Well, that ought to be enough to get the Hokage a new desk. Kakashi wondered how many splinters the current one will make as he summoned Bisuke.

When the tan dog had taken off with the scroll to give to the Hokage, Kakashi sat back in his chair and gazed out the window at the dawn light.

He would keep exploring the cavern today. He wanted to find the Clan techniques. He needed to find the Clan techniques. If what Aina had said was true then they would be incredibly useful.

Especially with the rising threats from the Akatsuki and Sound.

Message sent Kakashi packed up his writing materials and stored them in his pack.

When he came back downstairs Kakashi found Mirai pouring tea and Aina yawning at the table.

“You mentioned an early start, Kakashi-san, so your bento is in the fridge.” Mirai covered her own yawn.

Kakashi smiled and nodded his head. “Aa, thankyou, Mirai-san.”

The young woman huffed. “I hope you don’t mind leftovers.” She said with a smirk.

Kakashi laughed. “You’ve never had to live off ration bars, they aren’t made for taste, leftovers are fine.”

With a happy wave Kakashi left the tea house through the kitchen. Picking up his bento along the way.

He didn’t summon Pakkun this time. The overhang and tunnel beyond hadn’t moved.

When Kakashi opened the entrance again the rocks vanished to reveal a pile of sleeping dragons in the light of the sigils.

The white dragon lifted its head and gave a delighted trill before gliding to settle on Kakashi’s shoulders.

Kakashi sagged, the dragon was a lot heavier than it was yesterday. And judging by the way it could wrap its tail around his arm they had all grown substantially as well. Kakashi ran a hand through his hair, tugging on the wayward strands.

“Alright, everyone up!” He called into the tunnel. The dragons made getting into the tunnel difficult. “We’re going to look for scrolls today.” Kakashi said as they shifted and flitted around him as he moved further into the tunnel and the entrance closed up behind him.

Kakashi walked back to the main cavern and looked down at the number of bridges leading to the polished silver floor. With a series of leaps and bounds Kakashi rose from a crouch on the bottom of the cavern, trilling and chirping dragons swooping down from above.

Scanning the tower pillars Kakashi marked the one he had already explored. “Alright then, which one today?”

With a whistle and chirp the white dragon launch itself off his shoulder and swooped towards one of the larger tower pillars. Set away from the others.

Kakashi blinked and shrugged. That one then.

Following the white dragon Kakashi glanced back as the other reptiles swooped around him playing tag.

The base of the tower was like the treasury, as Kakashi thought of it, the sides lined with stone chests carved and inlaid with precious metals.

Laying a hand over one cover Kakashi channeled a fine thread of chakra into the stone. Like the others the stone slid away revealing neatly stacked scrolls. Each in it’s own compartment made of the silvery wood he had discovered the day before.

Kakashi winced. He would have to pick up the seedling again today. He had left it at the bottom of the tower, not knowing what to do with it.

Curiosity piqued Kakashi carefully lifted a scroll from its place. The paper had the same iridescent silvery sheen of the wood and Kakashi suspected that the Hatake’s of old had pulped the wood to make paper.

With careful hands Kakashi unfurled the scroll. Inside were a series of seals and instructions to what looked like a simple E-Rank jutsu. To create a cold light apparently. Kakashi could already think of a few uses for that.

“Led me right here.” Kakashi muttered, stroking gentle fingers down the white dragon's spine, eliciting a delited warble.

There were fewer chests in this room, only a handful, and they were much smaller than the ones in the treasury. Judging from the number of scrolls in the one he had opened Kakashi supposed there were twenty low level technique scrolls on this level.

He was tempted to go straight to the upper levels, but he had learnt his lesson well in training Naruto, the lower level jutsu’s were important.

He had to crawl before he could walk.

With a sigh Kakashi sat in the middle of the room with the scroll spread out before him and wished he had the Sharingan still. It would have made the process much quicker. But then he wasn’t considered a genius for nothing. By the time he stopped to take the bento into the main cavern to eat Kakashi had memorised and mastered all the low ranking jutsu in the first level.

Along with generating a cold light, Kakashi had learnt to focus a beam of light so intense and straight that it could cut through metal. How to collect static in his hand to freeze an enemies muscles. To weave threads of light into a genjutsu and to bend the light to render himself invisible to the naked eye. There were five different variants of the Bunshin that relied on light in different forms.

Already his head was spinning with the possibilities.

Kakashi watched the dragons play as he ate. The white dragon darting off to joins its fellows.

“Maa, I need to find names for you.” He said at last. As he spoke all twelve of the now much bigger dragons looked at him intently. The white dragon launched gracefully into the air and twisted so it could land gracefully on the curve of Kakashi’s shoulders.

A hum of approval trickled through the back of his head and Kakashi closed his eyes as he considered. The feeling of having his mind bonded to another was still alien to him.

“What would you like to be called? I don’t even know your gender.” Kakashi said at last directing his question to the white dragon. He would start there.

A sense of wounded masculine pride tickled the back of his mind and Kakashi laughed. “Alright a boys name for you then. How about…” Kakashi thought that the white dragon had been the one to hatch first, “Ryuunosuke?”

There was a pause as the white dragon tilted its head in thought, before a warm satisfaction crept through the bond in the back of his mind. Kakashi grinned. Eyes crinkling.

Turning back to the other dragons Kakashi sighed. He still couldn’t tell which were boys and which were girls.

“Alright. Boys over there. Girls over there.” Kakashi said, gesturing to his left and right.

With a happy trill they complied and Kakashi realised that colouring had nothing to do with gender.

Of the females there was the murky ocean green, leaf green, deep violet, red, bright blue and orange.

Of the male’s there were the dark blue, emerald green, bright purple and lilac, and gold. Including Ryuunosuke there was an even spread of male and female. Kakashi scrubbed one hand over his face. Still getting used to having permanent use of his left eye.

“Alright then, ladies first.” Kakashi paused, thinking. “Akane,” Kakashi dubbed the red dragon with horns and whiskers, trying to make it simple. “Hina,” Kakashi pointed to the leaf green dragon with a full fur mane. “Youko,” to the ocean green dragon with a frill of webbing framing her face. “Haru,” became the bright blue dragon with a single horn on her nose and a wispy furred mane. “Aki,” Kakashi had been tempted to call the orange dragon with a mane as uncontrollable as his student Naruto but decided against it. Kakashi paused as he came to the dark purple dragon. She, like Ryuunosuke, had two horns and a mane of fur and he didn’t know any name that could describe her as she was. Breaking the pattern Kakashi pointed, “Satomi.”

Ryuunosuke trilled happily and as the girls trilled back a feeling of contentment washed through the bond and Kakashi smiled.

“Alright then,” Kakashi turned towards the males. “Kouki,” Kakashi said pointing to the gold dragon. Hoping that he would live up to the name. “Haruto,” the dark blue dragon with the thick fur mane and whiskers became. “Aoi,” Kakashi named the green dragon with three horns along the back of his head and whiskers. Kakashi paused as he came to the two purple males. “Akira,” the bright purple dragon with whisker like tendrils sprouting in a mane. “Yuuki,” the pale lilac dragon with a half mane of fur was dubbed.

When Kakashi finished there was a chorus of delighted trills, chirps and warbles.

Stretching his arms, Kakashi put away the empty bento and stood. “But to work.” He said brightly and watched as all the dragons except Ryuunosuke curled up on the floor and continued to drink in the light of the crystal.

Ryuunosuke settled himself on Kakashi’s shoulders again, tail wrapped possessively around his arm.

Smiling behind his mask Kakashi went back into the tower pillar and followed the stairs to the second level.

The scrolls here were fewer still and Kakashi thought that his Clan had too much free time if they could carve an entire room for two small boxes of scrolls.

Shrugging off the old Hatake’s misuse of space Kakashi opened the first scroll and settled on the floor in the middle of the tower.

Maybe it was for practice space, he mused as he eyed the hand seals for a barrier jutsu that generated a field of static to violently repel any attackers. There weren’t any training grounds in the mountain. And if they were as secretive as Kakashi had heard then they wouldn’t have risked going out to practice on the mountain side.

Kakashi spent the afternoon as he had spent the morning. His arms were beginning to ache with overuse when he closed the final scroll on the second level.

Along with the barrier jutsu there were others that trained his elemental affinity and chakra control. The activation of the White Light Chakra Sabre was here. As well as three variations that could be used in a variety of attacks, including his father’s Shiroi Kiba.

Kakashi’s favourite was the Cloak of Light that he could summon to surround himself, it shifted making it difficult for enemies to aim. Being made of pure Stormlight neither the Byakugan or Sharingan would be able to see through it. Best of all it acted as a full body chakra enhancer, making him stronger, faster, more agile and reduced his reaction times. It required incredible control but only used a small amount chakra so long as there was a natural light source. He was going to enjoy that one.

With a sigh and a stretch Kakashi accidentally dislodged Ryuunosuke as he stood to leave.

With a huff of quiet laughter at the dragons disgruntled grumbling Kakashi headed down the stairs and out the door.

This tower was shorter than any of the others, Kakashi noticed as he looked up on his way out into the cavern. Only four stories in total.

It would take him longer to master the next level. If the scrolls followed the same pattern then he would be on to jounin level jutsu tomorrow and even his knack with ninjutsu would slow down with those.

“Alright, off.” Kakashi said, jiggling his shoulder.

Ryuunosuke whined in the back of his throat and if Kakashi didn’t know better he would blame Pakkun for teaching him that.

“I can’t take you back to the village. Not yet.” Kakashi said softly, trailing an apologetic hand through the fur that had sprout down Ryuunosuke’s spine.

“I’ll see about taking you outside soon though.” Kakashi considered the dangers of letting the dragons loose and shuddered internally. Maybe that was a few weeks away still.

They weren’t unhappy here. They could feed off the light of the crystal without any issue. And Kakashi didn’t want to draw attention to himself when wedged between Sound and Waterfall.

Kakashi paused at the sense of understanding and caution that tickled the back of his mind. It was still so new to him that he hadn’t considered that it would be a two-way bond.

Kakashi chuckled ruefully. “Aa, I better be going before they send someone to look for me.”

With that Kakashi leapt his way up the bridges, body tired and aching, chakra lower after a day of training. But already he could feel his reserves growing. They were already large so he could survive the constant drain of the Sharingan, but now they were stretching out to their fullest potential.

He doubted that he would need his silencing jutsu for Aina’s snores tonight.

 

* * *

 

When he arrived back at the tea house it was full dark and the lights shone out of the windows in welcome.

Mirai looked up from a pile of papers when Kakashi walked in.

“I was wondering if you’d taken up the advice of staying out for the night.” She said, a wicked curve to her mouth.

“Maa, no I slept well last night and I like having a bed.” Kakashi replied, only the curve of his eye giving away his smile. After the day of not having it cover his face it felt odd to feel the pull of the fabric.

Mirai raised her eyebrows. “I’m impressed.” She said. “Dinner is still on the stove if you’re hungry. We ate a while ago.”

Kakashi nodded and headed for the kitchen.

“A message came for you by the way.” Mirai called as Kakashi was ladling soup and grilled fish with rice into a bowl.

“And if I’m feeding animals as well you’re going to have to pay extra.” Mirai said, as he came back into the room. She gestured to one corner uncomfortably and Kakashi turned to see Bisuke.

Kakashi paused before beckoning the ninken closer. Looking over his shoulder he saw the uncertainty in the young womans eyes.

“Aa, that’s not a problem for me.” He said slowly. “Mirai-san, this is Bisuke, Bisuke, Mirai-san.” Kakashi introduced his summons who stayed respectfully beside his summoner.

“Pleased to meet you.” Bisuke said solemnly. He was familiar with dealing with people who got nervous around nin-dogs. As all of Kakashi’s summons were.

Kakashi didn’t expect the flinch of shock that jerked through Mirai’s hands.

“Ah, and you. I’m sorry I didn’t realise you could talk.” Mirai’s shoulders relaxed and she smiled. “If only all dogs had such good manners.”

Kakashi laughed. “That’s a first.”

Bisuke huffed, but stayed quiet. It was enough to know that Mirai had had a bad experience with dogs in the past. Kakashi hoped she was able to get over it with his pack. It would make things awkward if she didn’t.

There was enough fish for Bisuke and Kakashi had heaped that on a separate plate. Kakashi sat down at the small table in the corner of the tea house where he had a view of the small room. Mirai looked over at him and rolled her eyes.

“If you don’t want company I can leave.” She said, exasperation colouring her tone.

Kakashi waved a hand. “Aa, it’s not that. But I can’t see the door from there and shinobi are paranoid.”

Mirai blinked at the answer before snorting. “Then I’d get a chair from another table before that one twists your back out of alignment permanently. No one else likes that table so it tends to get the worst seats.”

Kakashi shifted on the seat. It was rather badly put together.

Standing sheepishly Kakashi swapped out the small chair for one at Mirai’s table. Sitting down again Kakashi moved to finish his dinner. While he ate he eyed Bisuke beside him.

“Aa, Bisuke, what was this message you had for me?” Kakashi asked when the dog lifted his head, licking his chops.

With a snap of his head Bisuke pulled out a scroll from his jacket and passed it over to Kakashi. Kakashi scratched him behind the dog's ears. “Finished?” He asked, flicking his fingers at the dog's plate.

“Yeah, Boss.”

“Alright, I’ll see you later then.” Kakashi said and the tan dog disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Settling more comfortably into his chair Kakashi unwound the short message scroll that the Hokage had sent.

“Hatake,

How in all the hells did you loose the Sharingan! Be careful, Sound was sighted heading into the Iron border. Orochimaru and Sasuke were with them. Don’t do anything stupid.

Godaime Hokage.”

Kakashi pulled a hand through his hair and pulled. If Orochimaru and Sasuke were there then the chances were good for Kabuto being present as well. The sannin never went anywhere without his dogsbody.

A part of him was tempted to seek them out. Convince Sasuke to come back to Konoha, he had only been gone five months and they could blame it on the curse seal. But Kakashi knew that was exactly the sort of idiotic maneuver that Tsunade had warned him against.

And he wasn’t Naruto.

With a muttered curse Kakashi flicked his fingers into a seal that turned the missive to ashes, leaving the wood beneath it unmarred.

He wouldn’t be letting his dragons out of the cave for a while, not until he was certain that the threat had passed.

What did Orochimaru even want in Iron anyway? There wasn’t a hidden village here so the self proclaimed ‘Otokage’ had no cause to come across the border.

Whatever it was Kakashi would keep a lookout for the snake. It wouldn’t do if he started snooping around the mountain.

When Kakashi stood to go to bed Mirai looked up from the papers spread out in front of her. From this angle Kakashi could see that she was painting, fine lines of black ink coming together for make the image of a bird.

“Another early morning, Kakashi-san?” She asked.

“Aa, yes.” Kakashi nodded, more brisk than he normally was.

“Your bento will be in the fridge if I’m not up, then.” Mirai said, turning back to her painting with a frown.

“Thankyou, Mirai-san.” Kakashi said as he made his way to the stairs.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 4:

The next morning Kakashi left before sun up, took his bento from the fridge and went back to the mountain. When he opened the tunnel Ryuunosuke was there to meet him while the others had crowded at the opening into the cavern.

Already the white dragon had grown again and he could wrap his body around Kakashi’s torso comfortably. Sharp claws clinging to the sturdy fabric of his flak vest.

Going back to the tower of scrolls Kakashi went straight to the third floor.

With only fifteen scrolls Kakashi spent hours getting them right. They were far more chakra intensive than the ones on the lower levels. When Kakashi stopped for lunch he was covered in a sheen of sweat and his stomach howled for food.

When he had finished he went back to training.

This time though he brought the scroll with him into the main cavern. There simply wasn’t the room in the confines of the tower and Kakashi trained. He wrestled with his chakra, molding it into the required shape again and again. The solid Stormlight blade appeared in his hands and vanished in a shower of white light before reforming in a different shape. This time a kunai, the next a tanto, later a shuriken and then a katana.

Kakashi practiced calling them at a moments notice until all he had to do was want a weapon and know how it felt in his hand.

When he could finally call a weapon in less than a heartbeat Kakashi stopped for the day. The dark creeping in on the edges of his vision and the new moon making it difficult to see on the way back to the tea house.

There was a lamp on when he went in and a covered bowl of soup on the stove but Aina and Mirai had already kicked out their patrons and gone to bed.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 5:

The next day followed the same pattern. He rose before the sun, fetched a bento from the fridge in the kitchen, and set off for the mountain.

Ryuunosuke and the others had grown again in the night and he could no longer comfortably carry the dragon on his shoulders. Akane and Akira were equally large and he wondered if he should let them out while they could still fit through the passage.

Though, Kakashi noted, there was less growth in girth than there was in length. He had plenty of time yet. Even Ryuunosuke was no larger around than his thigh, when he was now longer than Kakashi was tall.

He ran his hands over them, calling them by name and talking to them, discussing the techniques he was learning. What the history of his Clan meant to him.

They listened and crooned and warbled and followed him when he went back to the tower and drew out a second scroll.

Before he opened it, he went back into the cavern and ran through the series of kata’s for the chakra blades twice. When he was satisfied that his reserves had recovered he opened the scroll, studied the seals and instructions. The pattern of katas that followed and returned to training.

If he could form a complete chakra blade then he could create a half formed blade. Solid but still consisting entirely of light. Then he had to create dozens of them and direct them with chakra and will power alone to where he wanted them to go.

By the time he left he could call four shadow lights, as the scroll referred to them, and spin the around his body in a defensive formation. He could snatch one or the other and use it in his attacks. If he tightened the circle then they made an impromptu shield. Solid enough to stop a sword.

Aina and Mirai were in bed again when he got back. The first slither of a waxing moon hanging high in the sky.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 6:

Kakashi returned to the cavern. He hadn’t seen Mirai or her grandmother for two days and he contemplated the loss of their company. He had enjoyed bantering with Mirai and Aina’s stories and sharp tongue had been entertaining and informative.

He missed them. Two days of missing their company and he missed them.

Perhaps he could wait for breakfast before he came to the mountain.

Ryuunosuke trained with him when he ran through his kata’s. Twisting into a semblance of form and launching his own attacks with tail, whiskers and teeth.

When Kakashi settled with the scroll again he didn’t leave until he had twenty different shadow lights swirling around him.

Kakashi had never been so glad that he was a genius at ninjutsu. It made the learning process much faster.

The soup on the stove had gone cold by the time he got back to the tea house.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 7:

When Kakashi woke the sun was sneaking through the shutters. His body had the familiar ache that he associated with a grueling training regimen. It had been an old friend in ANBU and a regular enough occurrence with Gai that Kakashi didn’t let it hinder him.

For a moment before he got up though, he felt for his chakra. It had recovered far more than he thought it would have, considering the chara intensive techniques he had been demanding of himself. But it was there, larger than it had ever been before and still stretching, unfurling tendrils fill up an empty space.

Either the Sharingan had done more damage to his reserves than he had thought or he had more potential than he had considered possible. Most people his age had either reached their full potential or would never reach it. Their coils too stiff and accustomed to familiar patterns to change.

Frowning, Kakashi stretched and got up and dressed. When he went down the stairs and into the main room both Aina and Mirai looked up in surprise.

“Hello, stranger.” Mirai said, grinning.

“Aa, good morning.” Kakashi answered as he sat at the table.

Mirai placed fetched him a tea cup and breakfast before retaking her seat.

“Either it’s going well or you can’t find a thing.” Aina said, sipping from her tea.

Kakashi smiled, eyes crinkling. “It’s going well.” He assured her. “I’m sorry to be out so long, but I loose track of time easily.”

Mirai waved it away. “What you do with you time is your business. I had thought that we had a resident ghost though. You never saw it but it always ate the meals we left out.” She grinned at him and Kakashi laughed.

“Aa, well, I felt a bit like a ghost myself. I thought it was time I showed my face in sunlight.” Kakashi said. “I have a few things I need to do today anyway. He said, thinking that his next letter to the Hokage was due and he wanted to know if there was any more information on Orochimaru.

He had been careful, as he came and went from the mountain. He had never been so tired he wasn’t aware. But it still made him nervous and the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

“Alright. We’ll leave you to it then.” Mirai said, packing up the remains of breakfast and refilling the teapot.

Kakashi went and fetched his message scrolls and pens before returning to the main room in time to see Mirai drag her grandmother to the veranda. Kakashi smiled softly under his mask, grateful that she was so willing to give him privacy.

Sitting at his prefered table in the corner, Kakashi spread out a fresh scroll and picked up his pen.

“Hokage-sama,

I didn’t lose the Sharingan deliberately. But I have found something that makes up for it. What news of Orochimaru? I have made no sightings of Sound and nothing has reached the villages rumour mill. Do you know where they were headed?

Henohenomoheji.”

Waiting for the ink to dry Kakashi ran his hands through a familiar set of seals. When the smoke cleared Akino stood wagging his tail and peering up at Kakashi through his glasses.

“Yo, Boss.” The ninken greeted cheerfully.

With a happy hum Kakashi scratched the dog behind his ears and rolled up the scroll.

“Akino. Could you take this to the Hokage for me, and wait for a reply?” Kakashi instructed, holding out the scroll for the dog to take and stuff into his jacket.

“Sure Boss.” And with a blur of dark yellow fur the ninken was out the door and gone.

A startled squawk echoing in his wake and Kakashi remembered, belatedly, Mirai’s issues with dogs.

Walking out onto the veranda, Kakashi scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

“Aa, sorry about that. I had to send a message.” Kakashi explained to the stunned faces of the women.

Mirai’s face cleared and she smiled, glancing towards the gate and direction that Akino had disappeared. “I see, that was a different dog thought, it was bigger than Bisuke.” Mirai said, curiosity colouring her tone.

Aina grimaced. “I don’t like dogs. There were a couple of nasty ones hanging around years back. Nearly ate Mirai when she was young.”

Kakashi winced, that would be enough to make anyone wary of the animals.

Mirai flapped her hand at Aina. “Maa, Obaa-chan, Kakashi-san’s dogs can talk. Bisuke had better manners than Old Takumi.” Mirai explained.

“Aa,” Kakashi said, “I trained my ninken well, and they’re fed so they aren’t hungry enough to attack someone without an order.”

Aina huffed and shrugged. “Alright, alright. So not all dogs are bad. I get it.” The old woman settled more comfortably on her seat and picked up her cup of tea.

Kakashi smiled, “Not all dogs are good either, and you have a good reason to be wary of them.”

Mirai beamed at him and Kakashi blinked and returned the smile.

“Are you heading off soon, Kakashi-san?” Mirai asked as she settled next to her grandmother and took up her own teacup.

Kakashi nodded. “Aa, I’ve still got a lot to do.” He hadn’t even started to take care of the dead in the cavern yet. Perhaps he could ask the help of the dragons in that endeavour.

“Do you want me to send your ninken up the mountain when he gets back?” Mirai asked as he turned to fetch his bento from the fridge.

“No, he’ll need to rest after that run. But if you could give him something to eat I would be grateful.” Kakashi said.

“I’m making chicken tonight, I’ll just make extra.” Mirai grinned. Kakashi’s eyes curved into crescents and he went back into the kitchen to fetch his lunch.

With a jaunty wave he left the tea house behind and went back to his training.

He took out a third scroll. But before he opened it he turned to the dragons.

“I’m short on time.” He wasn’t sure why, but something was niggling the back of his mind and he was determined to be ready for it. “I need to master these techniques but I also want to perform the funeral rights for the fallen Clan members.” Kakashi took a deep breath. “Can you help me?”

The dragons had been watching him from too smart eyes and stilled when he made his request.

A soft trill came from Ryuunosuke and Satomi flicked her tail before flying off, Akira and Yuuki following her. In the back of Kakashi’s mind a soft reassurance settled over him. As Hina, Aoi and Youko flew off in another direction Kakashi felt a tension drain from him.

“Thankyou.” He whispered. Haruto and Haru flew up, scouting the upper levels and the tops of the towers.

Training that day didn’t last as long. It seemed that the previous two scrolls built on each other and the techniques continued to build on what he had already learned.

It was like Minato-sensei’s Flying Thunder God Technique, only it wasn’t rooted in a seal. Nor could it be used for long distances. About as far as you could throw a weapon. The technique was to use the chakra marker of one of his summoned Stormlight weapons to teleport himself. In the blink of an eye he could cover quite a distance in combat scenarios. It also meant that positioning himself around an enemy became that much easier.

So Kakashi returned to his training, Ryuunosuke joining him. Kouki, Aki and Akane hovered at the edges for a moment before following the white dragons lead. Over the course of the day all the dragons trained while the others went to hunt the dead.

By the time Kakashi left the cave he could follow the glittering trail of his weapons as far as he could throw them.

When he lept up to the upper balcony it was to find it filled with row upon row of the dead. The dragons had been busy today.

There were so many of them, many of them small children and all of them clawing at their throats for air that could not reach them.

Casting his eyes over the hundreds of dead Kakashi felt tears leak from tired eyes and soak into the cloth of his mask.

 

* * *

 

 

Days 8-16:

Over the next week Kakashi left the tea house after breakfast and hurried back up the mountain.

Inside the cavern the dead had continued to grow. The Hatake hadn’t just been a Clan, not with these numbers. They were the population of an entire city, that numbered in the thousands. And all of them, bar one, had died in a single night.

Kakashi practiced with the dragons, turning away from the scrolls to try a particular maneuver. He learnt how to surround himself with lightning, fueling his cells with it to enhance his physical ability. He learnt how to use lightning like a scalpel. How to weave light into threads that could seal closed the most grievous of wound. How summon shots of pure light to his hand and fire them off in blasts to great effect.

He learnt of the ‘sheer fire’ and to create heat without light. He could conjure balls of lightning so dense that when they struck they could obliterate entire mountains. Kakashi learnt how to use light like a parachute, like sails to fly.

Meanwhile the dead on the balcony continued to grow. It came to the point where Kakashi spent hours at a time lifting mummified corpses and carrying them to the balcony.

It was work that left Kakashi tired body and soul.

Kakashi sat down at the corner table in the tea house. Paper and pen again spread out before him.

He hadn’t received a reply to his last letter, and Akino hadn’t sent out a distress call so Kakashi knew that it had reached Tsunade.

But he was two days late writing the proof of life as it was. For all that Kakashi was beginning to feel like one of the dried up husks he had been laying on the balcony he should tell people that he was okay.

“Hokage-sama,

I’m alive. No, you don’t have to send anyone after me. I’m fine. The dead are being laid to rest.

Henohenomoheji.”

 

* * *

 

 

Day 17:

Kakashi left the tea house before sunrise, eager to reach the mountain. They had finished gathering the dead and today he intended to build them a pyre on the mountain side. In the sunlight that his family had all but worshiped.

Where the cavern met the tunnel entrance Kakashi whistled, as he would for the pack, and watched as all twelve dragons snapped to attention.

“Time to go outside,” Kakashi said. With a glance at the rows of dead filling up the balcony to overflowing he continued, “Time to give them their rights.”

A soothing croon sounded and Kakashi looked up. “Don’t stray too far from the entrance.” Kakashi said sternly. Eyeing them as they shifted and twitched in the light of the tunnel.

With a firm nod, Kakashi opened the tunnel to the outside with a smear of blood on the rock.

Kakashi had chosen to build the pyre on a flat piece of stone that formed a lookout over the north end of the valley.

It was large enough to support the dead and far enough away from the entrance and ventilation system that he wouldn’t risk smoking out the cavern.

With a series of hand signs Kakashi built stone supports for the pyre. The dragons flocked around him, dragging logs of the silvery wood and stacking them between the supports. As the pyre reached Kakashi’s waist the dragons began to bring out the dead.

Ryuunosuke and the others would lay the Hatake on the stone and Kakashi would carry them to the pyre. Thinner logs of the silver wood were stacked between the bodies and pyre continued to grow.

In the end Kakashi had to construct some stairs with a Doton jutsu to reach the top of the pyre and lay the Clan member on the stacks of wood.

When they finished, and the sun was setting in the sky, the pyre stood ten meters tall and twenty meters long on each side. The stone supports keeping the wood and bodies together.

Kakashi returned to the tea house that evening with slumped shoulders.

Mirai and Aina sat across the table from each other, a shogi board between them. They looked up when Kakashi entered and Mirai frowned.

“Are you alright?” She asked, sitting back from the table.

Kakashi nodded and ran a distracted hand through his hair. “Aa, just an unpleasant task.” He answered.

Aina turned away from her intense study of the board to peer up at Kakashi’s face.

“What task?” She demanded.

Kakashi stuck his hands in her pockets and hunched his shoulders, slumping against the wall. “Funeral rites.” He said.

Mirai winced and Aina turned in her seat to look at him properly. “How many?”

“Over a thousand.” Kakashi replied. Mirai stood and pulled Kakashi by his elbow till he was sat at the table. She vanished into the kitchen while Aina poured him a cup of tea.

“He’ll want something stronger than that, Obaa-chan.” Mirai said as she came back. A bottle of sake and a few saucers in hand.

Kakashi smiled thinly. “Thankyou.” He downed the tea in a gulp, giving up on his mask for this evening and letting it hang around his neck.

He made an effort to ignore the curious looks of Aina and was glad when Mirai drew her attention back to the game.

“When will they be finished?” Mirai asked as she made a move.

Kakashi sipped his sake. “I’ll commit them to fire tomorrow.”

Aina refilled her saucer and saluted him before swallowing it in a gulp that reminded Kakashi of the Hokage.

“The villagers will want to attend.” Mirai said quietly and Kakashi tensed.

He couldn’t, reasonably, hide the dragons forever. And they had just as much right to the funeral rites as the villagers did. More so.

It never occurred to Kakashi to deny the dragons. Whatever thoughts he had that they could be mindless beasts had vanished when they treated the dead so carefully. As if they knew them each by name and mourned every one of them.

Shifting in his seat Kakashi nodded. “So long as they don’t talk about any clan secrets to strangers.”

Aina grinned, flashing white teeth. “What strangers, other than you no one ever comes through here.”

Mirai sighed. “I’ll pass on the message. Any particular time?”

Kakashi took another sip of sake. It was too late to back out now. “Midday. Over on the north side of the mountain, there’s a lookout. I built the pyre there.”

Mirai nodded. “We’ll be there.”

Kakashi gulped the last of his sake and set the saucer on the table. With a flick of his fingers his mask was back and he stood.

“I’ll see you then.” Kakashi said before heading up the stairs to bed. He was tired, bone weary. But his chakra had never been stronger.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 18:

Kakashi rose before the dawn and headed up the mountain, not bothering to look for then bento. He wouldn’t eat much today anyway.

With a smear of blood and a whisper of chakra the rocks eased open to the glowing tunnel and Kakashi walked into the cavern. The dragons spread along the balcony, heads raised to the crystal and veins of light sliding down their throats.

When he stepped out of the tunnel Kakashi was immediately accosted by Ryuunosuke and Aoi. Satomi and Kouki gliding over and the others following.

With gentle hands, Kakashi threaded his fingers through thick fur and along spines. The dragons twined around him, covering him and warming him in a mass of sliding scales and warm breath.

“The villagers are coming today.” Kakashi said, leaning against Ryuunosuke while he traced patterns on the scales on Hina’s head where it rested smugly on his stomach.

A chorus of croons and warbles was his reply. And Kakashi sank further into Ryuunosuke’s coils when the tickle in the back of his head turned encouraging and understanding.

“Just don’t stray too far and try not to scare the villagers while they’re here. Alright?” Kakashi said, anxiety curling like a parasite in his gut.

Akane breathed into his hair, breath hot and dry against his skin and Kakashi was grateful that he had found them when he first came to the mountain. He wouldn’t have been able to deal with the dead as he was if he was on his own.

When the sun was up and climbing the sky Kakashi untangled himself from the pile of dragons and lead the way through the tunnel and up onto the lookout. Ryuunosuke stayed close while the others darted to different points around the pyre.

Kakashi twitched when the sounds of voices muttering and the clatter of feet on rocks carried over the mountain.

They were coming then.

Mirai and Aina were the first to come around the edge of the lookout platform. The other villagers trailing behind, the old man from the tea house and the younger that had recognised him.

There was a stumble and gasps of surprise when they saw him.

Standing next to a pyre of thousands with a white dragon twining around him, Kakashi supposed he must make quite the sight.

The other dragons spread out around the pyre crooned soothingly and Kakashi watched as Mirai and Aina jumped at the sight of them.

Satomi twisted where she rested, dark purple fur and scales catching the sun. Kakashi frowned when the dragon followed Mirai’s movements so closely.

Surely there wasn’t anything suspicious about the young woman?

Surely he would have noticed with all the time he had been spending with Mirai and Aina.

Shaking his head to clear it of the stray thought, Kakashi turned his attention back to the other villagers as they spread out and around the pyre.

A few of the older villagers, those that could remember the Hatake’s, cast flowers on the dead.

Mirai and Aina skirted the lookout platform, heading towards Kakashi. A trail of village elders following behind, like ducklings after their mother.

Kakashi followed their movements as they came to stand beside him. With a nod of his head to the elders Kakashi looked back to the pyre.

The sun was high in the sky, but when Kakashi moved his hands to form a Katon, the dragons hissed.

Ryuunosuke darted forwards, in front of Kakashi. Glancing to either side he could see that the others had all moved closer to the pyre, jaws gaping.

Kakashi tensed when, with a sudden rushing sound, fire erupted from the dragons and charged forwards to consume the pyre.

The wood and dried skin and bone roared to life, crackling with tongues of white, red, green, blue, purple and gold.

Kakashi rocked back on his heels as the heat hit him like a solid wall. The villagers around him giving shocked gasps and quick prayers before the dead were completely consumed.

As the fire roared and the dragons twisted above the ground, feeding the furnace, Kakashi felt a hand settled lightly on his shoulder.

Glancing to the side he saw Mirai, tears streaking her face.

“I am sorry for your loss.” She gave his shoulder a final squeeze and let go. Kakashi nodded before turning back to the burning pyre.

It would take a few hours to burn completely, but it would go much quicker with the higher temperature of the dragon's fire.

It was four hours later that the fire petered out, ash littering the ground in thick drifts. Only the stone pillars Kakashi had called up from the stone remained. Even they were black with soot and melted into a glassy stone by the heat of the fire.

The villagers trickled past, offering condolences in nods and meaningful glances as they trooped past to go home. There would be no funeral banquet.

Kakashi took a ragged breath, the dragons returning to his side and brushing against his hands and clothing. Offering what comfort they could.

It was such an alien sensation. Not even in Konoha, not after Minato-sensei had died, had anyone tried to comfort him. By that point he was a jounin and newly inducted into the ANBU corps. He had no need for comfort then.

But he was glad of it now.

Kakashi shuddered. Did it make him weak to want comfort? To cry at the funeral for your entire Clan?

He remembered Naruto, standing in line at the Sandaimes funeral, tears leaving trails down his cheeks.

He once thought Naruto was weak. Instead he was the strongest of all of them, at least in all the ways that mattered.

Coughing, ash puffing out from his mask where it had caught, Kakashi let tears slide down his cheeks. Soaking the fabric around his nose.

When it was obvious that he wasn’t going to move the elders nodded their respect and departed for the village again. Aina and Mirai stayed with him. A steady presence along with the dragons. Proof that he wasn’t alone. Wasn’t weak.

The sun was just dipping below the edge of the mountain when Kakashi finally wiped his eyes and turned to leave.

Ryuunosuke leading the other dragons back to the entrance to the cave and letting it slide closed behind them.

Kakashi, flanked by Mirai and Aina, went back to village and the tea house.

He went to bed early, nodding his thanks to Mirai for the meal and going up the stairs.

That night he curled under the sheets and let the image of coloured fire dance through his mind again.

It had been a fitting end for a Clan that had worshiped light.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 19-20:

Kakashi slept all the next day and well into the one following.

Kakashi rose late two days after the funeral with itching eyes and a thick head. Like someone had stuffed his ears with wool.

Sitting in bed Kakashi pulled out his book for the first time since he had arrived. He had never gone so long without it before. Unless there was a mission involved, but even then he managed to find a way to sneak a few chapters in.

It wasn’t particularly well written, he could admit that, it made it so easy to pretend that his problems didn’t exist.

Trying to read it now Kakashi grimaced.

Icha Icha had been ruined for him. He wasn’t running or hiding anymore so the characters on the page seemed so plastic. One dimensional.

Did anyone ever say something like that? Aside from Jiraiya.

There was a knock on the door to his closet and Kakashi stuffed the book away. For the first time ashamed to be caught so much as looking at it.

“Yes?” He called, trying to force down the red tinge on the tips of his ears.

The door opened and Mirai stuck her head in.

“I thought you might like breakfast in bed.” She said, the door swung open more to reveal a tray laden with soup, tea, and a plate of omu-rice.

It smelled wonderful.

Kakashi shifted uncomfortably under the blankets. He hadn’t worried about sleep wear when he was packing, so he was only in a thin shirt that didn’t leave much to the imagination, his mask, and the sheets.

“Aa, thank you, Mirai-san.” Kakashi said as he made sure his lower half was firmly covered. “I was happy to come down, though. You didn’t have to go to so much effort.”

Mirai came into the cramped room, a red blush tinging her cheeks.

“It’s no problem. I wanted to.” She said as she deposited the tray on his lap and turned to leave.

“Besides, Obaa-chan wouldn’t let me hear the end of it if I didn’t see you in bed at least once.” She teased, shutting the door behind her.

Kakashi stared after her certain that his face was brilliant red where it showed above his mask.

Just as he had the blush under control Kakashi picked up his chopsticks to start his breakfast and flushed red again.

The omu-rice had a red heart drawn on it.

With a grumble Kakashi smudged the heart and took a bite of the omelet, chew with a mutinous expression at the door.

He could swear that Mirai was flirting with him.

When he finished his breakfast Kakashi got out of bed and dressed before the young woman could come looking for the tray.

Taking the tray back downstairs Kakashi was immediately confronted with a smug smirk on Aina’s face.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and took his tray through to the kitchen. Mirai was out in the bath house so he settled himself at the corner table and turned his mind to the Hokage’s warning again.

No new information had come, so he could only assume that there was nothing to tell.

Staring out the window Kakashi wondered what the dragons would think. He had promised to let them out soon as well. With a glance at the conspicuously staring Aina, Kakashi sighed and stood up.

“I’m going up the mountain.” Kakashi said as he headed for the door.

“Don’t do anything stupid!” Aina called out behind him and he waved a hand in acknowledgement before moving off.

The entrance opened the same way it did the day before. Only this time, before he could get three steps down the tunnel a mass of twelve dragons bowled into him and knocked him back out. Kakashi lay stunned on the ground in the dawn light as the dragons settled around him Satomi claiming a place on his chest. Or mostly on his chest as she was now too big to fit.

“Maa, was that completely necessary, Satomi?” The red mane in the corner of his twitched. “Or should I be blaming Akane?” Kakashi asked, raising an eyebrow.

The dragons trilled at him as they shifted to pick up the rays of light on the side of the mountain.

Kakashi took his perch on a large boulder and turned towards Ryuunosuke.

“Alright, what was that yesterday?” Kakashi asked sternly, directing a firm glare towards the white dragon.

Behind Ryuunosuke Kakashi could swear that Haruto and Aki were laughing at him.

The white dragon huffed and a flash of images swooped through Kakashi’s mind.

With a wince Kakashi held up a hand. “Maa, Maa, I get it, I get it. Turn it off.” Kakashi pleaded as the images got faster.

Dragon fire was only for special occasions. Or a last defense measure.

Kakashi took a deep breath when the images stopped. Not that it mattered he supposed, the dragons were plenty dangerous without the fire.

Stretching his shoulders Kakashi stood from his rock.

“I’d better get hunting for the Clan’s history today.” He said conversationally, looking up at the position of the sun.

It was just after midday.

Ryuunosuke crooned while the others piled together under the overhang.

Kakashi looked at them through hooded eyes. “I don’t suppose you want to stay out here?” He asked.

Kakashi smiled under the mask as the chorus of chirps and warbles sounded, the sun shining on scales and trickling down throats.

Kakashi nodded. “Just don’t make too much noise and stay close to the entrance.”

He hadn’t forgotten Orochimaru. Even if he was nowhere near the mountain he didn’t want the sannin getting even a whiff of dragons. He was dangerous enough as it was.

With an understanding hum in the back of his mind from Ryuunosuke and a soothing melody coming from the others, Kakashi went back into the cavern.

The third tower, pillar from the treasury was filled with stone chests built like the ones in the archive of techniques.

Only these scrolls contained history. Stories of heroes and battles long before the warring Clans era.

Kakashi spent a long time reading. A nudge from the back of his mind had Kakashi looking up. Ryuunosuke had followed him up the stairs to the second floor of the tower and was looking at him reproachfully.

The image of a setting sun flittered through his head and Kakashi blinked.

“Aa, thank you, Ryuunosuke.” Kakashi said as he stood, stretching out his spin with a series of pops.

The white dragon backed out the door and down the stairs and Kakashi followed.

Ryuunosuke was as tall as Kakashi was now. A grin twitched at his mouth they were both long and thin with a thick unruly mane.

An amused huff came from the dragon. Kakashi smiled and leapt up the bridges to the balcony. It was so easy now. Not even the hint of low chakra when before leaps like that would have drained him.

Taking a deep breath of the crisp mountain air Kakashi took off down the mountain. The dragons going back inside and sealing the entrance behind him.

The tea house was much as it had been those first few nights. Windows burning warm yellow and a comforting feeling of home.

When Kakashi entered there weren’t any other patrons in the main room. Aina was sitting at her usual table a series of papers spread out before her.

Mirai came through from the kitchen with a fresh pot of tea.

“Good evening Kakashi-san.” She greeted cheerfully. “Dinner is on the stove and feel free to grab an extra cup.”

Kakashi grinned. “Thankyou, Mirai-san.” He said before slipping into the kitchen and scooping up a few ladles of soup into a bowl and taking a tea cup from the shelf.

Going back into the main room Kakashi wondered, for a moment, at his familiarity with this place and these people before shrugging it off.

Mirai and Aina were relaxed. That was all. It made other people feel relaxed.

Kakashi took a seat at the table across from Mirai and poured himself some tea.

He eyed the papers the two were studying with curiosity as he ate. Noting the frustrated frowns on both their faces.

“Aa, what’s the matter?” Kakashi asked when Aina finally gave up and tossed a paper back onto the table with a huff.

“Accounts.” Mirai answered, distracted.

“We have to balance the books.” Aina elaborated. “So far we seem to be spending more on food than we can afford.”

Kakashi blinked and looked at the remains of his bowl of soup.

It occurred to him that he hadn’t paid the two women yet. He had been staying in their home, at their expense for three weeks, and he hadn’t thought of the money once.

“Aa, I might be able to help with that.” Kakashi said, guiltily, before pulling out his wallet.

“I believe I owe you quite a bit for three weeks room and board.” Kakashi said pulling out the standard fare for accommodation in Konoha and put it on the table in front of Mirai.

Kakashi put his wallet away and took up his spoon again. “I’ll pay you every week from here on in. Considering I’m another mouth to feed.”

He took a mouthful of soup. Kakashi looked up to find the perplexed gaze of Mirai across the table.

“I forgot you were a paying customer.” She admitted, smiling sheepishly.

Kakashi grinned. Standing he scooped up his now empty bowl and headed to the kitchen.

“Aa, It’s nice to fit in so well.” He said, amusement thick in his tone.

When Kakashi came back Aina was counting out the ryo he had left on the table.

“Maa, Kakashi-kun, you are generous.” Aina said sweetly as he sat down and refilled his tea cup.

Kakashi shrugged. “It’s the standard fare for accommodation in Konoha.”

“Konoha is a Hidden Village and can afford inflated prices.” Mirai said, head bent as she penned in numbers at the bottom of a column.

Kakashi hummed, sipping his tea.

They sat in silence, Kakashi enjoying his tea while the two women finished the books and pulled out the battered shogi board.

“Do you play, Kakashi-kun?” Aina asked. Kakashi wished she would drop the kun.

Instead he nodded. “Aa. Most shinobi do.”

Aina grinned, white teeth on full display. “Then could you please play with Mirai-chan tonight? I find myself rather tired.”

Aina didn’t wait for a reply but stood up and made for the stairs.

Kakashi followed her with his eyes before looking back to Mirai with one eyebrow raised.

Mirai sighed. “She’s trying to matchmake again.” She cast a despairing glance towards the stairs where Aina had disappeared.

_You don’t sound to upset about it._ Kakashi thought before grimacing.

That was the last thing he needed.

_Ah, but what do you want?_ Kakashi wished he could strangle his subconscious.

Mirai looked at him expectantly.

“What?” He asked, he always felt like he missed something when he started talking to himself.

“Do you want to play?” She asked, gesturing to the board.

Well, it couldn’t hurt.

“Aa, why not?” Kakashi said with a smile.

Mirai returned his grin and set about setting up the pieces.

Two games later Kakashi realised that it could hurt a lot.

Mirai was a much better player than he thought she was. There were few people that could bring him to a stalemate.

Kakashi glanced to the battered old clock on one wall. “Maa, I think it’s time I headed to bed. I have another long day tomorrow.”

Kakashi stood, looking down at Mirai. “Thankyou for the game, Mirai-san.” He said before heading to the stairs.

“Goodnight, Kakashi.” Mirai called behind him and he noticed with a lurch that she had dropped the honorific.

_Oh dear._

 

* * *

 

 

Day: 21

Kakashi went down to the main room the next morning vaguely apprehensive.

He liked Mirai, he enjoyed her company and she held intelligent conversations. He just wasn’t sure what to think of the whole flirting thing.

The last time anyone had tried flirting with him was a woman Kurenai had introduced to him.

It had not ended well. There had been yelling and fists thrown. Not that they connected but the poor woman had tried.

The whole experience had left a sour taste in his mouth and Kakashi had buried himself in missions and Icha Icha to avoid Kurenai for months.

Mirai was sitting at her usual table, reading, as he expected and Kakashi could just see Aina sitting on the front veranda.

“Good morning Kakashi.” Mirai said cheerfully, looking up from her book.

Kakashi swallowed. “Aa, good morning Mirai-san.”

Kakashi did not flinch as disappointment darted across her face.

“Breakfast is on the table in the kitchen, Kakashi.” Mirai said, recovering her smile.

“Thankyou, Mirai-san.” Kakashi said before escaping to the kitchen.

_Coward_.

Shut Up. Kakashi hissed at himself. Picking up the bowl of rice and tamagoyaki.

_You like her, what’s stopping you?_

Kakashi paused for a moment before going back into the main room.

Was there anything stopping him from accepting Mirai’s advances? No. Only if you counted the high death rates for elite shinobi.

Would she want someone who risked not coming home every time he went out the door?

_Probably not._

Kakashi didn’t want himself somedays.

Walking back into the main room with his breakfast Kakashi settled at Mirai’s table to eat.

“Ah, I should warn you Kakashi. Bandits have been spotted in the area, best to keep an eye out.” Mirai said, looking up from her book for a moment.

Kakashi frowned, noting the lack of nerves he would expect to be behind such a warning in a civilian.

“Aa, thankyou Mirai-san. Has the council sent a mission to nearest Hidden Village?” Kakashi hoped not, he would have to make himself scarce if they came from Kumo, or worse, Sound.

Mirai snorted as she penned in something on the paper before her.

“Of course not. The village as a whole couldn’t afford anything above C-Rank and Bandits qualify as a B-Rank at least depending on numbers. And then what happens next time bandits come this way? Fork out money we don’t have to handle a problem we can solve ourselves? No thanks.” Mirai returned to her book.

Kakashi blinked. “Handle it yourselves?” It wasn’t unheard of that small villages couldn’t afford a shinobi team to handle problems. But she couldn’t mean that they fought off the bandits themselves.

“I favour an axe, personally.” Mirai said. “But the Akiyama’s next door have a wonderful set of kitchen knives.”

Kakashi choked on his eggs.

“Pardon.”

Mirai looked up at him with a flat expression. “If they are trying to kill us, Kakashi, why should we not kill them?”

Kakashi swallowed quickly. “Maa, maa, that’s not it. It’s just surprising that civilians have that outlook.”

It was true. Most civilians that Kakashi met didn’t like to be reminded that shinobi were killers. It upset their sensibilities.

Mirai smirked. “I think Kakashi, that you’ll find that people around here have more sense than sensibility.”

Kakashi grinned at her. “Aa, that’s quite refreshing, most people don’t like to be reminded that shinobi are killers. Avoid the subject at all costs.”

Mirai shook her head and went back to her book. “It depends on why you kill..”

Kakashi considered this. He was, according to his skill set, an assassin. But he had never killed an innocent. Konoha had strong opinions on those who ordered the death of a child. And they scanned assassination requests for intent.

In the end, Kakashi could honestly say that he had only ever killed in the interest of his village and the safety of the people living there.

“To protect what is precious to you.” Kakashi said at last, thinking of Naruto and his precious people. His dragons on the mountain. And they were _his_ dragons. He would kill to protect them, most certainly.

Mirai looked up. “That’s a good reason.” She smiled and Kakashi went back to his meal in silence.

As Kakashi cleared away his table and made for the stairs he paused in front of Mirai.

“Still, if I see the bandits I’ll take care of the problem. I wouldn’t be able to stand back and let them attack you.” Kakashi said quietly, before nodding at the shocked woman.

He left for the mountain without his bento. Just enjoying the sunlight and the sounds of the dragons as they played in the light.

He had been spending far too much time in the cavern. It was time for a break.

Kakashi had already run through several exercises, practicing new techniques alongside old. Ryuunosuke joining him.

Kakashi closed his eyes against the sun and enjoyed the warmth, the chirps and trills of the dragons soothing him.

The cessation of sound jerked Kakashi out of a pleasant doze. In a blink he was standing, senses open for any unwelcome presence.

When Kakashi turned to the easiest access to the outcrop he froze. Mirai, bento in hand, stared wide-eyed at the scene.

Kakashi glanced back at the dragons when movement caught his eye, just to watch Satomi glide forwards, trilling in curiosity.

Kakashi remembered the way the dark purple dragon had watched Mirai at the funeral and the hairs at the back of his neck rose.

Kakashi held his breath as the dark violet dragon approached Mirai. Kakashi was tense, ready to leap to the defense of the woman. What he hadn’t expected was for the young woman to drop the bento gently on the ground and kneel in front of the young dragon.

Mirai’s eyes held the same curiosity and wonder that Satomi’s did and Kakashi fought back a pang of jealousy. An encouraging hum from Ryuunosuke nudged Kakashi forwards where the woman and dragon were examining each other.

“Mirai-san, this is Satomi. Satomi, this is Mirai.” Kakashi said softly and Satomi gave a happy trill as the dragon flitted forwards to touch her muzzle to Mirai’s forehead. Much like Kakashi had done Mirai collapsed, caught by a dark purple dragon and lowered to the earth.

This time, though, Kakashi saw the small flash of light that heralded the forming of a bond. Kakashi forced down another pang of jealousy and loss. It made sense that the other dragons would want to find people to bond with. Just as Ryuunosuke had done with him.

Kakashi moved forwards and shifted the woman so she would be comfortable and Satomi curled around her.

Ryuunosuke was a constant trickle of satisfaction and possessiveness in the back of Kakashi’s mind.

A flash of images. Oh. So it wasn’t that the dragons were leaving, it was that they were bringing more people into the family.

Kakashi hoped that Mirai wasn’t going to react badly to the news that she was family now. At least according to Ryuunosuke. The other dragons crowded around them, dragging Kakashi to join them.

With a sigh Kakashi settled down in the safety of Ryuunosuke’s coils to wait for Mirai to wake up. The bento she had been carrying did, at least, mean that he didn’t have to choke down a ration bar.

Kakashi nodded his head as the warmth of the sun and the clean air relaxed him. The steady thrum of the dragons around him as they drank the light sending him to sleep.

When Kakashi woke up, it was to find that Mirai was already awake and appeared to be deep in communication with Satomi.

“Aa, Mirai-san. Sorry, didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Kakashi said as he sat up and poked Ryuunosuke with his finger. The dragon could at least have woken him up.

“It’s alright Kakashi. Dealing with dragons is quite tiring.” Mirai said with a smile. Satomi curled around her as her focus changed and the dragon was large enough to curl around the petite woman several times.

Kakashi grinned, at realised belatedly that his mask was still draped around his neck.

Twenty years of successfully stopping anyone from seeing his face and all it took was twelve dragons.

Kakashi resisted the urge to snort. Twelve dragons indeed.

Still, Mirai watched him in curiosity as he stood and brushed the loose earth from his clothes.

“Is this what you expected to find?” Mirai asked at length. Turning her attention back to the pile of dragons drinking the sun.

Kakashi laughed. “No. This was a surprise. What I expected to find was a few burnt out rooms and, if I was lucky a basement with a few family heirlooms.” Kakashi shook his head. “What I got instead was a cave system to defy any kings wildest dreams and twelve dragons.”

Mirai looked up. “Cave system? I take it you found the Hatake stronghold then?”

Kakashi froze. He had already said more than he meant to.

Kakashi glared at the white dragon twining around his legs and waist. He would bet it was the dragons fault.

Mirai smiled. “It’s alright, Kakashi. I won’t demand any secrets, but I am curious.”

Kakashi relaxed . Ryuunosuke chose that moment to shoot him a series of images that made him wish he had put his mask back on.

By the look of embarrassed mortification on Mirai’s face he was willing to bet Satomi had sent a similar message.

“Um...” Mirai started, weakly.

Kakashi coughed, uncomfortably. “It’s all his fault.” He pointed to the white dragon who only chirruped in reply.

It didn’t much help that he had been avoiding thoughts like that for the past two days. Now Kakashi would never be able to get the image out of his head.

_Even the dragon thinks she’s worth it._

Kakashi coughed again, trying to hide his blush.

Mirai laughed, her face returning to it’s normal colouring.

“It makes me wonder what Obaa-san would say to this.” Mirai said, looking back down the mountain towards the village. “Probably something about how not even dragons can successfully marry me off.”

Kakashi tensed. He was unsure how to react to that. Ryuunosuke’s image replayed in his mind.

It would be a lie to say he did not find Mirai attractive.

And found her easy to talk to. And just sit with.

_Oh dear._

But there was more to a marriage than attraction.

But then, he had still been running from his father’s ghost a month ago.

Kakashi twitched. He wanted to break the silence that lay heavily over them. He had never been particularly good with people and it was showing itself now.

“I can’t imagine how my village would react if I went back with a wife on top of everything else. Yes, Hokage-sama I had a wonderful vacation I will be returning with an armoury, two small mines, a large treasury, twelve dragons and a wife.” Kakashi clenched his teeth to stop himself saying anything else.

He didn’t like the hysterical note in his voice by the end.

Mirai snorted and then broke out laughing brightly. Tears slipped out of her eyes as she crouched to stop herself falling over.

“Oh! Oh, to be a fly on the wall! Even without a wife that is a list to take anyone by surprise.” Mirai said between bouts of laughter.

Kakashi laughed as well. “Aa, if you take into account my personal history I wouldn’t be surprised if I was met at the gate with the Hokage, the head of T&I and my therapist.” He said, letting himself imagine people’s reactions.

He could see it.

There was something liberating about talking with Mirai. It wasn’t that she didn’t judge him, because she did. It was that she didn’t expect anything of him, didn’t expect him to be more than he was.

_There is absolutely nothing stopping you._

Mirai looked over at Kakashi, where he leant against Ryuunosuke.

_All you have to do is lean forward._

Kakashi tensed. He couldn’t.

_Can’t you?_

He wouldn’t.

_Why not?_

Thoughts spinning madly through his head Kakashi leant forwards and gently brushed a stray hair away from Mirai’s face.

He stared petrified for a moment at her wide eyes and the hint of expectation in them.

Kakashi lent forward and gently pressed his lips to Mirai’s.

It was soft and chaste but Kakashi didn’t pull away.

It felt much better than he had expected it to.

Mirai pushed back against him and their mouths slid together more firmly.

Eventually, Kakashi sat back, staring at Mirai with wide eyes and praying that she would have some answers.

Kakashi didn’t have a clue how to react to the situation.

Mirai stared back at him, smiling softly.

“I take it you have no idea what to do after that either?” She asked, a smirk twisting her lips.

Kakashi grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of his head.

“Maa, I’ve never been in this situation before, and I’ve been told that Icha Icha is not a good role model.” Kakashi said.

_At least we’re all awkward together._

Mirai laughed. “No I don’t suppose it would be.”

Silence settled over them. The dragons humming a soft melody in the background.

“What happens now?” Kakashi asked.

“I guess we see if this goes anywhere?” Mirai answered gesturing between them.

Kakashi shifted, uncomfortable. “I have to go back to Konoha.” He said. “Whatever happens.”

Mirai nodded. “I understand.” She paused. “So, I guess it either works and I go back with you. Or it doesn’t and we let it go and say goodbye.”

Kakashi glanced down at her. She was watching Satomi and Ryuunosuke twining around each other.

“I have another month, at least.” Kakashi said, trying to be reassuring and practical.

He was fairly sure he was failing at one or the other.

_More likely both_. He thought despairingly.

“That should give us enough time to figure this out.”

Mirai nodded again. She shifted where she stood until she was leaning on Kakashi.

Kakashi didn’t know what to do. Did he just let her lean on him? Did he put an arm around her? What?

Ryuunosuke took pity on him - and it said a lot about Kakashi’s experience when a dragon knew more than he did - an image snuck into his head.

Carefully, slowly, Kakashi wrapped his right arm around Mirai and tugged her closer. Until she was firmly tucked against his chest and he could rest his chin on her head.

She sighed happily.

Kakashi decided he rather liked this. Whatever this was.

Eventually Ryuunosuke nudged Kakashi and he nodded before gently letting go of Mirai. “Alright, alright, back to training.”

Mirai looked up. “Training?”

Kakashi shrugged. He was trying to trust her,and she had been all but adopted by Satomi. “Clan jutsu.”

Mirai nodded before looking up at the sky. “I should go. Obaa-chan will be wondering what’s happened to me.”

Kakashi checked the sun. It was a few hours after midday and they had been sitting for a while. Not counting the time they had been asleep.

“Aa, I’ll see you this evening.” He said, smiling.

Mirai kissed his cheek before she left. Satomi trilled sadly.

Feeling guilty for the dragons distress Kakashi brushed a hand through her mane. Tugging gently at a few knots that had already formed in the long hairs.

“It’s alright. She’ll be back.” Kakashi wondered though what would happen to them when he left. Would Satomi stay here? Or...would Mirai come to Konoha?

The idea sounded nice.

Kakashi cast another resentful glance at Ryuunosuke. “Stop trying to influence me, I’m not going to marry someone just because you like them.”

Ryuunosuke just gave a trill that sounded far too smug for Kakashi’s liking. He suspected that the dragon wasn’t influencing him as much as he would like to believe.

Kakashi returned to the tea house late that evening and went straight to bed, still covered with a sheen of sweat.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 22:

Kakashi returned to the mountain after breakfast the next day, promising Aina a game of shogi that evening.

He returned to training. There were still a few kinks in his Clan jutsu he was trying to iron out.

Hours later the sound of metal on metal and the scent of smoke drifted across the mountain.

It was then that Kakashi remembered the warning of bandits that Mirai had given him. Without blinking Kakashi shot off across the mountain side, going as fast as his chakra would let him.

He could feel the dragon's following. Ryuunosuke growling deep in his throat and an angry hissing from Satomi. The others were silent, but still following.

Kakashi leapt over the final outcrop of stones to see the village. One house was on fire and the screams and shouts still rang out as the tiny figures of at least fifty bandits swarmed the rest of the village.

As he got closer he could make out the forms of the villagers standing in a protective circle around the children and elders. Kakashi felt relief swept through him at the sight of Mirai standing in the circle, axe in hand.

He didn’t particularly care that said axe was buried in a bandit’s head. At least she could hold her own.

With a flick of his fingers Kakashi called to hand a Stormlight weapon. But he would avoid using any of the higher end Clan jutsu. It always helped to have something an enemy didn’t know about.

Besides, low level bandits were a good chance to practice.

Twelve bandits were down before they noticed that he was there. With a flash of Stormlight particles Kakashi ran between targets. Experimenting with a range of different weapons that came and went in a twinkle of white light. He could feel the dragons around him. Tearing, ripping, gouging at the bandits, stopping them from getting any closer to the villagers.

Ryuunosuke appeared beside him, breathing white lightning in a stream and incinerating three bandits. Leaving only their shadows on the blackened wall behind them.

Kakashi paused in his slaughter. “I don’t suppose one of you could put the fire out?” He asked the dragon.

Ryuunosuke roared. Kakashi glanced at the dragon, it was the first time he had heard such an aggressive sound from the usually gentle creature.

Looking around him Kakashi noticed that there were few bandits left. And those that were, were running back towards safety. He doubted that this village would have any problems with bandits for a while.

Picking off the few brave or stupid enough to remain Kakashi made his way over to the villagers. They were eyeing the dragons with something between worship and apprehension.

Not knowing who was in charge Kakashi approached Mirai, Satomi close behind him and Ryuunosuke flanking him.

Akane and Aoi had circled the villagers, the last defense against any bandit that got through the others. Aki and Haruto twisted in front of the burnt building. The remains of what looked suspiciously like a water jutsu dampening the ground.

“Is everyone alright?” Kakashi asked, directing his question at Mirai. He couldn’t see Aina in the circle and Kakashi felt dread claw at his gut.

Mirai looked up at him, eyes wide. “Obaa-chan is dead.”

Kakashi recognised the dead tone, had used it himself. Grief rising in his chest Kakashi extended a hand to rest on her shoulder.

“I am sorry for your loss.” He said quietly. He expected the sobs. Not even he could stop them when they clawed out his throat every time a teammate died.

So when Mirai dropped her axe to bring her hands to her face and leaned into him Kakashi didn’t push her away. Instead he looped one arm around her shoulders and let her cry into his chest.

It didn’t feel nearly as good as it did a few hours ago.

Kakashi looked up from the nest of tousled brown hair to examine the rest of the villages. The dragons had settled into their customary pile, trilling reassurances to each other. Ryuunosuke and Satomi curled around each other tightly.

Kakashi didn’t want to think about what that could mean. Not now, anyway.

The villagers had abandoned their circle and were now milling around him and Mirai, varying looks of confusion or wonder on their faces.

It was a small village, they all knew that a stranger by the name of Hatake was staying at Mirai’s joke of a tea house. They all knew that he was going up the mountain. They all knew that there were dragons and that he had performed the last rites for the clan that once lived in the mountain. But none of them had seen him up close yet. The elders, still in their tight cluster whispered.

Mirai pulled away from Kakashi. Eyes red but face composed. “I’ll be alright.”

Kakashi let her go, glad that she didn’t try to pretend that she was alright now. He watched as she approached Satomi and hugged the dragon, burying her face in the dragon’s mane. Ryuunosuke nuzzled her hair.

Kakashi turned to the elders as they approached him.

“Ah, shinobi-san, thankyou for helping the village.” The old woman said, opening her arms in a welcoming gesture.

Oh, how Kakashi wished that every village he went to save were like this one.

In response Kakashi bowed, as he would to his own elders.

“Toshiyorishuu-sama. I’m Hatake Kakashi, I was glad to help.” Kakashi said, trying to stay respectful. At least these were elders he could respect.

“At least he has manners.” The bitter man at the back muttered.

Kakashi resisted the urge to smile. This was not a good time, he was covered in blood and gore and it might give the wrong impression.

Kakashi watched as the other elders digested his name, before any of them could say anything though a choked sound came from one of the village men.

Kakashi glanced at him and noticed the wicked looking kitchen knife, an Akiyama then.

The young man gulped under the gazes of his elders and the shinobi. Kakashi felt a flicker of sympathy for the man. He knew what it was like to be looked at like that by village elders.

“Ah, um, would that be the same as Sharingan no Kakashi?” He asked, finger twitching around the handle of his knife.

Kakashi couldn’t help the twitch to his lips. He had thought that his reputation would have spread through the village by now, the incident in the tea house had been weeks ago. He was wrong.

“Aa,” Kakashi nodded. “Though I don’t have the Sharingan anymore. Ryuunosuke took exception to it.” At this he cast a glance back at the white dragon. “Though I must admit it’s nice to have depth perception back.”

The young man gulped again, and the elders swung back to look at Kakashi. Yes. He knew exactly how the man felt.

“Pardon me, Hatake-san, but what brings you here?” One elders asked, an old man with a rather impressive beard.

Kakashi nodded his head. “I was looking for my family’s origins. I found them, more than I expected.” Kakashi gave a wry grin as he gestured towards the dragons.

Another elder snorted.

“Tell me, _Hatake-san_ , how did you survive the fire?” The bitter elder pushed his way to the front only to take a step back when he got a clear view of Kakashi. When he stood straight he made quite the intimidating figure.

_It’s probably the blood_.

Kakashi’s lips quirked.

“I didn’t survive it myself, my father did. Hatake Sakumo, otherwise known as Konoha’s White Fang.” Kakashi supplied and watched as the colour drained from the elders face.

The elder that had compared him to Sakumo earlier laughed. “Told you he looked like him.”

Kakashi nodded towards the elder, a smile curving his mouth and making no effort to hide it.

The bitter elder, who reminded him uncomfortably of Danzo, only less shrewd, fumbled for an answer.

“And you intend to go back to your village when your done here? Taking whatever you can with you?” He said accusingly.

Kakashi frowned. “Well, I have to go back to Konoha and I would like to take some of my family's history with me.” Kakashi paused as he watched the triumphant gleam in the man’s eyes and had an idea. “But I thought to open the Mountain to you. It has far better defenses against bandits and plenty of room for the villagers a hundred times over. Even if you only used it as a shelter.”

Kakashi watched as that sent ripples through the assembled villagers. The bitter elder returned to his sulk and was summarily shoved to the back again. Movement behind him drew Kakashi’s attention, he glanced over his shoulder to find Mirai moving to stand at his shoulder.

Kakashi was surprisingly comfortable with her there. He turned back to the elders.

“Ah, that is generous of you Hatake-san. The elder with the beard said, bowing .

Kakashi smiled. “My family used to protect this village. Even though I can’t stay I figure they would approve of continuing that protection by providing a safe shelter.”

He received a beaming smile from the female elder. “I knew your grandparents. I think they would be proud of you.” She said.

Kakashi felt his face heating. He had been so caught up in the larger Clan history he had forgotten the people that made it.

He had never thought of himself as having grandparent before. It was nice to think that they may have met him with approval.

“Aa, thank you ma'am.” Kakashi replied.

Another elder clapped his hands together loudly. “Right then! Back to work! We can’t leave the village looking like this.” With that the villagers disbanded to cart away the dead and build a pyre. Mirai stayed by his shoulder, watching the world move on without her.

Kakashi put a hand on her shoulder. “Come on.”

With that he led her back home.

Aina had been killed on the front veranda where he had first met the sharp older woman and Kakashi regretted not talking with her more.

With a reverence that he reserved for fellow shinobi Kakashi lifted the elder and arranged her on the blanket. He didn’t say anything when silent tears kept crawling down the younger woman’s cheeks. He would let her grieve with dignity.

When the old woman was wrapped respectfully, Kakashi picked the bundle up again and directed Mirai to lead him. He followed her towards the town square, not far from where he found the villagers.

In the center of the square was a stone altar. Like most villages in Iron Country and Fire Country they burnt their dead. Kakashi placed the wrapped blankets on the altar and bowed in respect for the dead.

Tomorrow they would commit her to the fire.

Kakashi took Mirai by her hand and lead her back home. The bloodstain was still on the veranda, Kakashi would have to deal with that in the morning, and when they passed into the main room it was cold. No lights were on and the stove in the kitchen had gone out.

Kakashi paused for a moment in the main room, remembering the sharp tongued woman who sat at the table and demanded he play shogi with her.

In the end he took Mirai through to the bath house. They were both covered in blood, gore and mud.

Mirai had regained some colour and was moving on her own by the time they got there. Kakashi turned his back to leave and give the woman some privacy while he waited for his turn.

“Stay. Please.” Mirai said.

Kakashi turned back, still unsure, and unzipped his vest when Mirai was satisfied.

Kakashi watched Mirai out of the corner of his eye as she undressed and scrubbed the stains from her skin.

He paused in lathering his own arms when he saw her picking at the skin of her arms with her nails. The skin turning red and soft welts forming in the wake of the nails.

Keeping his hands gentle Kakashi stopped her. “Don’t do that.” He said softly, picking up the soft soap they kept. “Let me.”

Mirai sat still as Kakashi washed her arms, rinsing away the lather to leave clear skin behind. He moved up, to her shoulders and back, massaging the tense muscles softly.

“I’m sorry.” Mirai whispered. “I’m being silly.”

Kakashi set down the bowl of warm rinsing water.

“No your not. Even shinobi go through this when they’ve lost a teammate.” Kakashi hesitated before continuing. “Or their first kill.”

Mirai shrugged. “It was so easy to forget it the first time.” Kakashi picked up the bottle of softly perfumed shampoo and began to work it into a lather and massage her scalp.

“But I had Obaa-chan.” Mirai hunched her shoulders.

Kakashi let his soapy hands rest on her shoulders for a moment. “She would understand, I think, and be proud.”

Mirai nodded shakily. Kakashi rinsed the suds from her hair and wrapped a towel around her before turning to finish washing himself.

Mirai watched him as he lathered his hair and rinsed before wrapping a towel around himself and moving to pick up the spare robes to wear back to the house.

Kakashi forced down any reaction he had to her. Blaming the red tinge on his cheeks on the hot water and steam in the bath house.

_Now is not the time_. He told himself firmly.

_If she was a shinobi…_ Well she’s not.

Kakashi didn’t stop himself from putting an arm around Mirai’s shoulders and leading her back to the house. He left her in front of her bedroom door before retreating to his closet for a clean change of clothes.

It was best if he made them some tea at least. The sun had set and dinner wasn’t going to happen but Mirai needed the comfort.

_Since when are you so caring?_ The voice in his head snarked.

Kakashi frowned. Since he started trying to take a relationship seriously for the long term.

Dressed, hair still dripping, Kakashi went back down the stairs to the kitchen, stoked the fire and set a kettle on the stove.

Armed with a tray of tea and two cups Kakashi went back upstairs and knocked on Mirai’s door.

When the door opened Kakashi saw that Mirai’s room wasn’t much larger than the closet that he slept in.

“I thought you might like some tea.” Kakashi said as he stepped into the room. Mirai closed the door behind him.

“Thank you.” Mirai’s hands shook as she poured the tea and she clutched the cup close to her body to stop it spilling.

Kakashi sat on the floor and leaned against the bed, Mirai’s legs brushing his shoulder.

When the pot was empty Kakashi put their cups back on the tray and stood to leave.

Mirai grabbed onto his sleeve, “Will you stay? Please?”

Kakashi stared at her and gently rested the tea tray on the small table in one corner of the room. He could deal with it in the morning.

Now he was tired.

“Alright.”

 

* * *

 

 

Day: 23

The next morning Kakashi woke to an overcast sky and his nose buried in Mirai’s hair. He had wrapped himself around her completely and Mirai’s face settled in the crook of his neck one arm flung over him and hand attached to his shirt.

It had been so easy to sleep in another’s bed. Kakashi couldn’t remember the last time he had slept solidly through the night. It wasn’t odd for him to wake at least once in the night, snapping to attention from a stray noise or a bad dream.

Looking through the shuttered windows Kakashi decided that it was time to get up. The villagers wouldn’t commit Aina to fire before Mirai got there, but they wouldn’t hold off indefinitely either.

With gentle hands Kakashi coaxed Mirai into waking.

They walked to the town square together, shoulders and arms brushing. Kakashi stood at Mirai’s shoulder as she set the pyre up in flames as she had done just a few days before.

The tongues fire greedily lapped at the oiled wood and bone. A part of Kakashi wished that they could have waited for a day when the sun shone, when the light was strongest.

After the funeral and the pyre for the bandits had been lit Kakashi returned to the Tea House with Mirai. It was cold now, the stoves in the kitchen that kept it warm had gone out and the lights were off.

Mirai moved in a daze. Kakashi gently directed her by soft tugs on her elbow. He stoked the embers in the stove in the kitchen and put more wood on the fire. He turned on the lights and set a pot of tea on the table in front of Mirai.

Three cups of tea later, Kakashi was feeling warmer and Mirai looked like reality was registering.

“I think I might leave the village.” She said, looking out the window to the clouded sky. Most of the dragons had returned to the mountain but Ryuunosuke and Satomi proved stubborn and curled in a pile on the tea houses lawn.

“Pardon?” Kakashi asked.

“I think I might leave the village.” Mirai repeated. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but I stayed for Obaa-chan.”

Kakashi watched her. While her grandmother’s death may have banked her will of fire it was far from gone.

“Come back to Konoha with me.” He said. Mirai turned to look at him, staring with eyes wide.

Kakashi gave up on waiting. It was a foregone conclusion already, he wasn’t ever going to find anyone else. It wasn’t like the dragon had told him anything new either. He couldn’t see his opinion changing in the next month.

_Or the rest of your life._

Even if Ryuunosuke hadn’t interfered he would have come to the same point. He just wouldn’t have acted on it.

“What?” Mirai asked.

“Come back to Konoha with me.” Kakashi said again, smiling gently.

If that didn’t tell her his intentions Kakashi was going to rethink the whole idea. Mirai clearly got the message.

Mirai looked up. “So you’re asking me to marry you?”

Kakashi hesitated.

_Was that what he was asking her?_

“Yes.”

Mirai hesitated and Kakashi felt like kicking himself. Her only remaining family had just died, now was not the time for marriage proposals.

“You don’t have to decide now.” Kakashi shifted his shoulders uncomfortably. “I’m still here for another month and a half.”

Mirai’s lips twitched up. “Let’s see, twelve dragons, Clan techniques and history, a potential wife...not bad for a month's work.”

Kakashi let out a startled laugh. “I might finish the list by the end of the week at this rate.”

Mirai laughed with him, then. “You might.”

 

* * *

 

 

Day 24:

The next day Kakashi sat at the small table, the empty pot of tea sitting cold next to him.

Finally putting pen to paper he decided on the bare facts. He would keep up the required ‘I’m still alive’ for the Hokage.

“Hokage-sama,

More alive than I was last week. New friends are good for the health. Any news on Orochimaru?

Henohenomoheji”

 

* * *

 

 

Day 25-28:

The next few days Mirai went with Kakashi to the mountain.

Together they searched through the archives of Clan history and neither Kakashi or the dragons were at all concerned by her presence. They moved on the from the stones chests full of scrolls and wandered other tower pillars.

Many of them were living spaces, entire branches of the Clan living in the tallest towers that seemed to just keep going up with no end to the stairs.

At one point Kakashi had to carry Mirai back to the tea house when she had exhausted herself going up and down tower stairs.

Kakashi finally found the Clan armoury.

He had been right when he suspected that the fine armour he had discovered in the treasury was only the tip of the iceberg.

Racks of weaponry and shelves full of chain armour in the same glittering metal and just as ornate filled rooms of the tower pillar.

On the top floor Kakashi found what he suspected was the Clan heads armour. It was simple the lightweight metal forming a chain shirt with an unembellished plate vest bearing the Hatake mon on the back. Plate for the legs and arms with a simple design completed the set.

Kakashi trailed his fingers over the armour, a thoughtful frown on his face.

“Why don’t you try it on?” Mirai asked from where she stood in the doorway.

“It’s the Clan Heads.” Kakashi replied.

Mirai tilted her head, smiling at him softly. “Aren’t you the Clan Head now?”

Kakashi frowned again. Looking back at the armour he estimated the sizes. It looked like it could fit him. Though he would need to wear something other than his nin-sandals so the shin guards didn’t destroy his feet.

Mirai wandered around the room as Kakashi contemplated the issue of appropriate footwear for full armour.

Mirai peered into one of the cabinets. “If you’re looking for boots, it looks like they made them as well.” Kakashi turned to look at her.

As he moved to join her he wondered if she was going to make a habit of solving all his problems as they came up.

Kakashi opened the cabinet with a flare of chakra and pulled out a pair of boots. They looked like they were made of dragon skin.

Ryuunosuke flashed an image of dragons shedding skin like snakes once they got old enough.

Kakashi supposed that explained the dull muted tone of the hide. There was nothing muted about his dragons.

The boots were a dull blue, bordering on black. They were tall and would go a way up his shins if he put them on.

If they fit.

Mirai nudged him. “Go on. It can’t hurt.”

Kakashi sighed and nodded.

The armour was easy to put on at least. There were no complicated straps or rings he had to navigate. It was a case of just sticking everything over his head.

The arm and leg pieces clipped on neatly, the hinges articulated with more of the dark dragons skin.

The armour fit.

_Surely it can’t be such a perfect fit_ . He thought. _There has to be something wrong._

Mirai grinned at him when he stood fully decked out in the chain and plate. The boots on his feet lighter than any normal leather.

Kakashi rolled his shoulders and twisted, testing his movement. Largely unhindered Kakashi was surprised when the chain and plate didn’t clank and clatter together like he had expected it to.

There was a slight chime of metal on metal but it faded quickly.

Kakashi looked back at Mirai with eyebrows raised. “Not bad.”

Mirai grinned. “It looks good.”

Kakashi nodded, it was good armour. Light and silent and stronger than steel. He would have to take to wearing it on missions regularly.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 29:

For the first time that week Kakashi returned to the mountain without Mirai in tow. He had left her in bed and asleep.

Kakashi considered the armour where it sat at the end of the bed.

On an impulse he put it on, once again marvelling at the fit and silence of the woven chain links.

With a final roll of his shoulders Kakashi set off for the mountain.

He was only halfway there when a sense of urgency and a flash of images flew through his mind from Ryuunosuke.

Orochimaru was on the mountain. He hadn’t been trying to hide himself so they would have heard him by now. Backing out until they left wasn’t an option. Kakashi was incredibly glad he had worn his Clan’s armour.

Minding his steps now and dimming his chakra Kakashi moved around the side of the mountain.

He heard them before he saw them.

“I swear, Orochimaru-sama, I saw him come here everyday for the past week with a civilian. They stayed for hours.” A sound shinobi was saying.

Kakashi cursed internally. Had he been so distracted that they had been watching him for a week and he didn’t notice?

_Probably._

“Then where did he go?” Sasuke’s voice sounded and Kakashi had a moment when he had to stop himself from calling out to his student. “He wasn’t just staying in the outcrop.”

There was a rustle of movement. “Why don’t you ask him, Sasuke-kun?” Orochimaru’s hissing voice said. “He’s hiding behind those rocks.”

Not waiting a second Kakashi moved.

Three of the sound shinobi were down before Sasuke met him with a katana. He had improved in the handful of months since he left. But he wasn’t up to Kakashi’s level. It didn’t help that Kakashi had been training solidly for a month.

Orochimaru and Kabuto stood off to one side as he fought Sasuke and Kakashi gritted his teeth. He wasn’t some training exercise, damnit!

With a quick feint and a blow to the head with the blunt end of a kunai Sasuke met the ground. Unconscious.

Orochimaru hissed and Kabuto darted forwards. Only Kakashi wasn’t there when he arrived. He was half a meter to the left and moving around him to jab the kunai into this shoulder blade.

Kabuto hissed angrily and lashed out. Kakashi dodged and aimed a kick at Kabuto’s stomach.

Kabuto danced back and launched his chakra scalpels. Kakashi tried to dodge, the scalpel missed his neck and hit his armour.

The chakra scalpel then ricochet off, hitting the rock wall behind Orochimaru who hadn’t moved.

_Even when his men are falling around him. Why do they stay loyal?_

Kakashi took advantage of Kabuto’s surprise and swept forward again. Jutsu forming between his hands, Kakashi pushed his fist through the younger man’s chest.

There was the wet, sucking sound and Kakashi bit back a cringe as Kabuto’s healing jutsu tried to close the wound before he bled out. But Kakashi kept his arm through his chest until the flutters of his heart and lungs died against his wrist.

With a squelching sound and the splatter of blood and gore hitting the rocks Kakashi pulled out his arm and let the corpse fall.

Kakashi turned to Orochimaru, the snake sannin still hadn’t moved, he was looking at Kakashi like he was a frog splayed out on a dissection table. Kakashi fought back a shudder and lifted his hands, fingers twitching to form a seal, chakra itching beneath his skin.

“Not today, Hatake.” The sannin said, with a flurried blur of movement the sannin was gone. The unconscious Sasuke with him.

Before he the adrenaline faded from his system Kakashi launched an incineration jutsu at Kabuto. Leaving the head intact to send back to Konoha.

The Hokage would want proof of death. The other Sound nin followed suit, three in all, and all had died quickly.

_How can they follow him when he lets them die?_

With his job done Kakashi finally opened the cave. Ryuunosuke surged out fuming, smoke trailing from his nostrils and mouth. The other dragons following him.

They nudged at Kakashi with their muzzles. He leant on Satomi where she settled behind him. The adrenaline faded from his system, leaving him with the familiar drag of exhaustion.

It didn’t suck at his chakra coils like a child slurping a straw in an empty cup like the Sharingan. But the tiredness still hooked its claws behind his lids and dragged them closed.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 30:

When Kakashi woke he was in the cavern and Mirai was sitting next to him in a silvery wood chair.

Shifting Kakashi realised that his armour was gone and he was laying on a pile of the woven cloth they had found preserved in a stone chest. The petrified remains of the old mattress was stuffed against the wall of the circular room.

“What?” He croaked out.

Mirai shifted in her chair and a cool glass beaded with condensation pressed against his lips. Kakashi drank carefully, wetting his throat.

“Satomi and Aki came and got me. They came and got everyone.” Mirai paused as Kakashi moved to a sitting position.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow at her. “Got everyone?”

Mirai nodded, “They cleared out the entire village and barricaded us all in here. Ryuunosuke helped us move you here and the others have been setting up the villagers in other towers.”

Kakashi groaned softly. He may have promised to open the mountain to the village, but he had meant after he left and didn’t have to deal with them.

A nasty thought came to him then. “The villagers haven’t taken anything from the towers?” Kakashi asked, swinging his legs off the bed.

Mirai shook her head. “Hina, Youko and Aoi have been stopping anyone from getting into the armoury, treasury or archives. Relax.” Mirai ordered, a firm hand on his shoulder.

Kakashi shook his head. “I can’t. There’s a missing nin, Orochimaru, hanging around. I managed to take down some of his flunkies and right hand man but he’s still dangerous.”

Kakashi paused and let the rising panic fade from his mind. Ryuunosuke trickled a series of images through his mind.

“The dragons moved everyone out of the village to protect them from him.” Kakashi finished.

Mirai watched him through worried eyes. “Can you beat him?” She asked, hands wringing together.

Kakashi sighed and gently stopped her fingers from twisting, lacing them through his own. “I have a better chance of beating him now than anyone else.” He said.

_Probably_.

“I have plenty of tricks that he doesn’t know about, I can use that to my advantage.” Kakashi looked up to Mirai’s worried eyes. “I won’t let him hurt you. And I’ll do my best not to die.”

Mirai nodded shakily. “But you could?”

Kakashi looked down, avoiding her eyes, and nodded.

With deap breath Kakashi said, “I could die on any mission, anytime. It only takes one fluke accident, and there is always going to be shinobi better than me.” He looked up at her again.

If Mirai was going to back out of this relationship it was best it happen now. Before he grew any more attached.

_It’s not like you’re attached already._

“Can you handle that? Knowing that every time I walk out the door I might not come back?” Kakashi asked, tightening his hold on her hands.

Mirai took a shuddering breath. “Can you promise that you’ll try? That you will do everything you can to come back? Even if it doesn’t work, I want to know that you tried.”

Kakashi smiled, relief threading through his cold hands. “Yes, I can promise that.”

Mirai smiled in relief. “Alright then. Beat this Orochimaru and I’ll marry you.”

Kakashi grinned, pulling Mirai closer he wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her stomach.

“I better get some practice in then.” Kakashi murmured, running his hands up Mirai’s back.

The villagers waved at him happily as Kakashi passed, on his way to the Clan’s technique archive. He wanted to review the scrolls on the Stormlight.

Mirai had spread the word of a dangerous missing nin while he redressed in his armour and ran through his katas and now he was everyone’s hero twice over. It was nice, if disconcerting.

Kakashi sat in the centre of the room and opened a fresh message scroll, pulled a pen from its case, and settled to write his sixth letter to the Hokage.

“Hokage-sama,

Firstly, I’m still alive. Secondly, I’ve found Orochimaru. Or he found me. Please find enclosed the head of Yakushi Kabuto and three unknown Sound nin. Sasuke was with him though he was rendered unconscious in the fight. I believe that Orochimaru is aiming to make a base in the old Hatake stronghold. I won’t let him.

Hatake Kakashi.”

With a sigh Kakashi pulled the sealing scroll containing the preserved remains of the Sound nin and wrapped the message around it.

Flicking his fingers Kakashi summoned Uhei, the tan and white dog sitting while Kakashi ran his fingers over his bandages.

“Can you take this to the Hokage for me?” Kakashi said, holding up the message scroll wrapped around the containment seal. “There might be issues along the way. Orochimaru is near the mountain. Don’t risk yourself. No matter how long this takes it has to reach the Hokage.”

Uhei nodded his head and slipped the scroll over his back and under his vest.

“Sure, Boss.”

With a puff of smoke the dog was gone. Kakashi frowned as he looked back at the chests of scrolls.

_Will it even matter?_

Stretching his arms above his head Kakashi pushed the lid off a chest and bent to reading the Clan techniques once more.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 31-37:

“Hokage-sama,

Yes, I am alive. I have been practicing Clan techniques, I hope that when Orochimaru shows his face again I’ll have a few tricks he hasn’t seen before. The villagers have moved into the old Hatake stronghold and are settling in well. They are safer here at least.

Henohenomoheji’

Kakashi sent off the letter with Akino again. Uhei had gotten through to Fire Country with no issue and the Hokage’s reply had consisted of “I said be careful, Brat.” and little else.

Right now Kakashi had more information on the snake sannin’s movements than Konoha did and that thought did little to comfort him.

He had spent the past week running through every ninjutsu he knew. Every taijutsu style he even vaguely remembered, every trick he thought of he tried multiple times until he could use it in a fight.

Kakashi had paid many visits to the armoury. Of all the tricks he wanted to keep up his sleeves for as long as possible his ability to summon stormlight weapons was on the top of the list. With Mirai’s help he had stocked up on kunais, shuriken, knives, and a tanto all made of the same silvery metal as his armour.

News of his intention to marry Mirai had spread through the villagers. Kakashi shifted awkwardly every time they watched him practice with curious eyes. Preparations for the wedding were in full swing and Mirai had only be able to curb them when they had heard he intended to fight Orochimaru first.

Every woman in village took this to mean that Kakashi intend to fight the snake sannin as a proclamation of devotion to Mirai.

_Not entirely false_.

Mirai had only snorted when she heard the gossip and told Kakashi that if he wanted to give her a proclamation of devotion then he could come back.

_I promise to try._

_I promise._

 

* * *

 

Day 38:

Kakashi woke the next day as he had done every day that week. Being careful not to wake Mirai Kakashi dressed in his shinobi uniform with the armour over the top and left the cavern.

Kakashi had been patrolling the mountain side with Ryuunosuke and Satomi twice a day for the last few days. If Orochimaru had been watching him for weeks then he would know about the dragons. The others guarded the entrance to the cavern. While Aoi, Hina and Youko, remained settled in front of the treasury, armoury and archive.

The suspense of waiting for Orochimaru to attack was winding Kakashi tighter and tighter. If it hadn’t been for Ryuunosuke and Mirai he was certain he would have snapped.

While he was on the mountain not only did Kakashi have the home turf advantage he also had the higher ground. Against Orochimaru he needed every advantage he could get.

Kakashi returned to the cavern tense and stressed. The tension in his shoulder making it difficult to relax, even when Mirai presented him with a pot of tea and a hot meal.

He smiled gratefully and ate, but his body remained stiff, the suspense eating at him as he spooned soup into his mouth.

Kakashi was glad that the villagers had been able to bring their stores before the mountain entrance had closed. But it didn’t ease his worry.

_You should be used to this._ The voice in his head reminded him and Kakashi felt like kicking it in the shin.

_Remember that mission to Bear Country? This is nothing in comparison._

But it hadn’t been Orochimaru in Bear Country. An S-Rank missing nin, yes. But not one of the Densetsu no Sannin.

Kakashi went to sleep that night, thoughts spinning in a tangle like the pile of dragons at the bottom of the tower, as he curled around Mirai.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 39:

Kakashi woke the next morning covered with sweat and feeling of foreboding. Whatever happened would happen today.

Mirai had already left the bed when Kakashi pulled himself out of the nest of blankets and bolts of fabric that filled the bed frame.

With deft fingers Kakashi pulled on his uniform and armour. He hesitated for a moment as he pulled his mask up to cover his nose and mouth, rubbing at his neck. Kabuto had been aiming for his neck and it was the weakest point in his Clan armour. With a thoughtful frown Kakashi looked at himself in the polished mirror in one corner of the room. With slow movements Kakashi pulled his hitai-ate down over his mask. His hair flopped back covering his forehead like a mop. Kakashi ignored the strands tickling the tops of his eyes as he adjusted his hitai-ate around his neck.

He had seen Hyuuga Hinata wear her hitai-ate like this. It protected one of their most vulnerable spots, and it sat easily with the top of his chain and plate.

Satisfied that his neck was covered Kakashi followed the stairs and came across Mirai fending off three elderly women.

Mirai threw a warning look over her shoulder at him and Kakashi smiled under the mask. He was quite happy to let her deal with nosey old women.

_Tsunade-sama is bad enough as it is._

Kakashi snuck past and, before any of the elders could corner him, headed off down the stairs and into the main cavern.

He didn’t want to wait and risk goodbyes. They always seemed to imply that he wouldn’t come back.

_I promise_.

Ryuunosuke untwisted from Haru and Haruto and twirled around Kakashi as he made his way up the many stairs and bridges to the entrance balcony.

Satomi was waiting for them at the entrance and she crooned brushing against Kakashi’s arms and nuzzling Ryuunosuke.

“Alright, then.” Kakashi muttered to himself more than the dragons. “Let’s get this over with.”

With that Kakashi marched through the entrance to the overhang.

The waiting was always the worst. Kakashi gritted his teeth as the hours passed. They always set him on edge. It allowed the enemy to gather themselves and attack you on their own terms. You never knew what they were going to do until they it happened. Trying to be prepared for everything was utterly exhausting.

When the sun was spreading an ominous glare of light through thin clouds a black figure emerged from the copse of trees below the pyre’s lookout.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. Even from this distance he could recognise his student. He had seen so much of himself in Sasuke.

_Too much, more than was there._

Why would Orochimaru send Sasuke after him when he had already beaten the boy so quickly before?

Kakashi tensed and whirled just in time to block the blade of kusanagi before it could hack into the back of his head.

_Distraction of course. But then?_

Kakashi skipped to the side as Sasuke careened past, fist clenched around a handful of lightning.

_Double distraction. And using your old teacher’s technique against them? Really now?_

Kakashi dodged and skipped between the two missing nin as they tried to kill him in myriad unpleasant ways.

Sasuke had his Sharingan activated this time and it made it much harder for Kakashi to get close and hit him. But not impossible.

He pulled white metal shuriken from his pouch and launched half of them at Sasuke’s left. Immediately launching the rest just to the right of the first batch.

Sasuke dodged the first wave but darted directly into the path of the second. He hissed angrily as the metal stars erupted from his flesh. Kakashi was forced to twist awkwardly when Orochimaru used his momentary distraction to try and carve a chunk out of him.

Kusanagi scrapped across Kakashi’s armour a sound like cymbals clashing ringing across the mountainside.

Orochimaru’s sword had not cut his armour. Kakashi grimaced at the large scratch the blade etched into the metal while sending thanks to the creator.

Kakashi’s fingers flashed through seals faster than the Sharingan could follow. It was time to end this and he could not fight both Sasuke and Orochimaru at the same time.

Soundlessly the earth consumed him. Kakashi waited with stilled breath before pushing him hands up through the rock. Grasping Sasuke’s ankles Kakashi dragged the teenager down to join him.

Kakashi was above the rock again in a heartbeat and dodging Orochimaru’s jutsu.

With tanto barred Kakashi stepped into Orochimaru’s range and met his kinjutsu head on.

Exchanging blows Kakashi fought to keep up with the snake. While sending a frantic message to Ryuunosuke and Satomi to get Sasuke out so he didn’t get killed in the crossfire.

Kakashi would never be able to face Naruto and Sakura again if he killed the Uchiha.

With a growl at a particularly violent flurry of blows from the sannin Kakashi channeled chakra into the tanto.

It blazed to life, white light reflecting off the melted columns of black stone that were all that remained of the Hatake pyre.

Orochimaru smirked as Kakashi met him, the Chakra Sabre activated, sparks of white lightning launching off.

With a curse Kakashi disengaged.

If Orochimaru could siphon chakra from his tanto into his own blade then he was in trouble. The only way to avoid it reliably would be to summon his stormlight weapons. He had full control of the chakra in them so Orochimaru couldn’t steal it.

Trying something else Kakashi activated the Cloak of Light. For a precious few seconds the snake sannin was taken aback, eyes squinting in the blinding light. Kakashi used his enhanced speed and strength to surge forwards and got under Orochimaru’s guard.

When the sannin lept back it was with a line of red traveling from one cheek to the opposite shoulder.

_Not nearly deep enough._ Kakashi thought as he watched blood ooze from the wound.

Kakashi fought back the smug smirk. He was still the first person in decades, other than the sannin’s own teacher, to mark the man in a fight.

Kakashi didn’t let the cloak drop even as he launched into a new series of attacks. His palm covered in harmless looking chakra that could paralyse with a touch.

Orochimaru realised his danger and dodged backwards, out of range for hand to hand combat. It was a fight of ninjutsu now.

_Unless you activate the Stormlight._

Kakashi gritted his teeth as he caught the first two seals of Orochimaru’s jutsu before the sannin’s hands began blurring.

_Fuuton. Weak against Fire...typical._

Kakashi started dodging even as his hands formed the seals for one of his strongest Katon jutsu.

_Gouryuuka no Jutsu_.

The dragon heads of flames shot out towards the sannin. A few collided with Orochimaru’s wind release while others punched through and exploded on rocks. The ground shook and loose stones were tossed into the air and rained down on Kakashi and the snake sannin.

“Now Hatake,” Orochimaru;s voice chided to Kakashi’s left.

_Clone._

“What’s this I hear about a woman?” Orochimaru emerged from the light haze of smoke. All three of him.

Kakashi gritted his teeth and launched a series of kunai and one of the Orochimaru’s exploded in a gust of wind.

Kakashi was moving again before the wind had dissipated. Hurling himself forward

Kakashi blurred his hands through the seals to another Clan technique.

Lightning bloomed around him, crackling and snapping, hissing whips lashing out like angry cats.

Orochimaru dodged them, sliding between the glowing lines of electricity, and formed another seal. More clones appeared around him, spreading out to take Kakashi from all angles.

_You have something for that._

When the clones moved to attack together his hands blurred through more seals. The invisible line of the Static barrier repelled Orochimaru back into the rocks of the mountain with a violent crash. His clones dispelled.

_If you’re not going to use them now, then when?_

Kakashi snarled as he dropped his tanto.

Orochimaru leaped from the rubble of an outcrop in time for Kakashi’s shadow light weapons to hail down around him.

Kakashi flashed from one weapon to another the snake sannin lashing out with kusanagi. But he hadn’t fully recovered from whatever the Sandaime had done when he had attacked Konoha. When Orochimaru finally got free of the half formed weaponry he and Kakashi were covered in cuts.

Kakashi’s armour saved him from the worst of kusanagi but the sannin was good and had aimed for the unguarded parts of his arms and legs, his hands.

Orochimaru, weakened still from his failed invasion during the Chuunin Exams, paused for a second to look at Kakashi. Cloak of Light still active, lighting sprouting from it like a cactus flower and the shadow light weapons arranged around him.

With a vicious snarl the snake sannin shunshined away.

Kakashi growled. There was a limited range to the jutsu and he picked up the whisper of Orochimaru’s chakra in the village. It was where Ryuunosuke and Satomi had taken Sasuke.

He would be damned if the snake took his student again.

_Not this time._

Pushing his advantage Kakashi extended the light parachutes from his back and roared down the mountain. What seemed like wings of light extending behind him.

Kakashi was a shinobi. He was a cheat and a liar, a thief and murderer. He would take every advantage he could get. If Orochimaru attacked him before he was back to full power then Kakashi would exploit it to his advantage.

There was a flicker of familiar chakra but he pushed it aside. He zeroed in on the weakened sannin. Satomi hissing next to him, poised to strike.

Kakashi didn’t give her that chance.

With a venomous shout of triumph Kakashi launched fully formed stormlight weapons at Orochimaru. He dodged and danced around the sannin as he hacked and stabbed. Weapons forming as fast as they vanished.

With a snarl and vicious upwards cut as a cleaver formed in his hands Kakashi cut Orochimaru from neck to navel.

The sannin opened his mouth and a torrent of tiny white snakes poured from his mouth.

With a horrified shout Kakashi leapt back channelling chakra to his hands. Beams of light severed the snakes leaving them to shrivel like snails in the sun.

Ryuunosuke snarled and Satomi growled. White and Purple flame spewed forth consuming the remaining snakes in a furnace. The snakes crackled and gave a dying hiss of evaporating liquid.

Orochimaru’s body, snakes still forcing themselves from between the shattered cage of ribs, caught in the fire. Fat bubbled and spat as the tongues lapped at him.

With a grimace Kakashi pushed against the heat of the fire and cut the head from the body before it could be consumed.

Tsunade would want proof.

Kakashi sighed as he let the lighting jutsu fade and the Cloak of Light followed quickly behind.

The chakra drain catching up with him, Kakashi’s shoulders sagged.

He was dragged back to alertness when a pained shout echoed through the deserted street.

Kakashi whirled to find Sasuke, held in Ryunosuke’s coils, writhing against the restraint.

The curse mark on his neck burning as the chakra that fueled it abandoned the seal.

With a muttered curse Kakashi stumbled forwards and rested a hand against his student’s neck.

Sasuke’s own chakra pathways weren’t in danger. Orochimaru would never risk a potential vessel in such a way. The absence of the seal acted like acid on the skin and muscle of the teenagers neck and shoulder.

Ryuunosuke nudged at Kakashi’s mind and he wasted no time forming the hand seals for the threads of light to seal the wound shut.

With the same precision Kakashi applied to aiming a kunai at a target he stitched the gaping, hissing, wound closed.

The familiar chakra signatures shifting behind him as he worked.

When the wound was closed, but for the mottled white scar, Kakashi let his hands fall as his knees gave out from beneath him. Chakra exhaustion edging the corners of his vision.

_Not yet_.

The owners of the chakra he had noticed moved into his vision and he grinned up at Naruto and Jiraiya as they surrounded him.

“Well, I got him back.” Kakashi said before the dull grey at the edge of his vision swamped him.

 

* * *

 

 

When Kakashi woke he was on his back in the middle of the abandoned street. Satomi’s coils wrapped around him and Naruto peering at him through slitted eyes.

He grinned when he realised that Kakashi was awake.

“Hey, Kakashi-sensei!” He cheered.

Kakashi resisted the urge to groan, his head was reminding him why chakra exhaustion was a bad idea, and forced himself to sit up.

Sasuke was asleep in Ryuunosuke’s coils and Jiraiya was bent over the remains of Orochimaru’s snakes.

“That was mighty impressive piece of work you did, Brat.” Jiraiya commented as he looked over at him from Naruto’s shout.

Kakashi rubbed at his head. “How long have I been out?” He asked.

Naruto’s face scrunched up. “Only an hour or two.” He looked on in surprise as Kakashi jumped to his feet.

“Ne, Kakashi-sensei, what’s going on?” The blond asked.

Kakashi ran a distracted hand through Satomi’s mane and gestured to Ryuunosuke. “I’ll answer any questions later, but right now I’ve got to get back.” Kakashi said, already striding off down the street and up towards the mountain.

“Back where, Konoha?” Jiraiya asked, frowning, “And where is everyone?”

Kakashi grinned, exhaustion forgotten for now. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

With a warble Ryuunosuke took off for the mountain, Sasuke still firmly clutched in his grasp. Satomi stayed with Kakashi as he led the duo to the entrance in the overhang.

When the entrance opened to reveal the glowing carvings of seals Kakashi spread his arms.

“Welcome to the old Hatake Stronghold, from the warring clans era.” Kakashi said, grinning brightly under his mask.

“This is awesome! Dattebayo.” Naruto enthused as they travelled down the tunnel, looking at the sigils like they were the most fascinating thing he had ever seen.

_They probably are._

Kakashi stretched out his hand and ruffled his hair. “If you think this is cool you should wait till you see the rest of it.”

Naruto bounced on his heels excitedly. “There’s more!”

Kakashi nodded. “A lot more.”

Kakashi glanced at Jiraiya, wondering at the man’s uncharacteristic silence.

_You did just kill his childhood friend._

“What are you two doing in the area anyway?” Kakashi asked to break the silence.

_Oh, how things have changed._

Jiraiya spoke up then before Naruto could open his mouth. “Tsunade sent us.”

Kakashi nodded. He didn’t say anything else and they rounded a corner and passed into the main cavern in silence.

Naruto’s shocked awe echoed across the immense space.

Jiraiya hissed in surprise when he looked up and saw the crystal. “I thought they were a myth.” He murmured.

Kakashi tilted his head at the older man, but Jiraiya shook his head, he would tell Kakashi later.

A few stray villagers waved to Kakashi and eyed Naruto and Jiraiya curiously. He saw one of the village boys run off and Kakashi hoped they went to find Mirai.

_I promised_.

Kakashi gestured to the villagers as they moved up and down the stairway and bridges, exploring the space. “As soon as we realised that Orochimaru was in the area we moved the village here. I think they might stay.” Kakashi said with a crinkle of his eyes as he smiled.

Naruto grinned at him brightly before frowning. “That’s awesome, Kakashi-sensei, but what happened to your eye?”

Kakashi scratched the back of his head. “Aa, Ryuunosuke took exception to the Sharingan and removed it.”

_No need to elaborate_.

Naruto’s face scrunched up until he looked like one of the Sandaime’s monkey’s. “Ryuunosuke?”

Kakashi grinned. “Aa, the white one.” He said pointing down to where Ryuunosuke had deposited Sasuke on the cavern floor and the other dragons flocked around him. Akane was sniffing curiously at Sasuke’s hair, while Youko used his legs as a head rest.

“How many dragons have you got, Hatake!?” Jiraiya exclaimed as he looked down and Satomi warbled in laughter.

Kakashi wished his armour had pockets. “Aa, twelve.” He answered finally. The sound of hurried steps made him turn and Kakashi grinned to see the village boy returning with Mirai.

Village elders trailed like breadcrumbs behind her.

“Kakashi?” Mirai asked as she got closer, eyeing Naruto in curiosity.

She turned to examine Jiraiya and frowned. “Ah, the pervert’s back.” She said, nudging at Kakashi’s ribs through the open side of the plate.

Kakashi frowned before he remembered their conversation. Aina had tried to set Mirai up with another shinobi who passed through. A shinobi that was a pervert.

“Aa, so you’ve met Jiraiya-sama before Mirai?” Kakashi asked, twisting his body so he could wrap his arm around her waist and still look at the gama sannin.

Jiraiya grinned while Naruto groaned. Kakashi grinned and beamed down at Mirai.

“Mirai, this is my old student Naruto.” Kakashi said indicating the loud blond. “Naruto, this is Mirai.”

Naruto grinned, showing all his teeth.

_That still shouldn’t be possible_.

“Nice to meet you, Mirai-neechan!” Naruto beamed at Mirai and she grinned back.

“You too, Naruto-ototo kun.” Mirai returned and Kakashi grinned.

_They’ll get on fine._

_Maybe too fine._

Naruto blinked at Mirai in shock for a moment before a blinding smile broke out. Jiraiya huffed in amusement and Kakashi smiled and rested his chin on Mirai’s head.

Jiraiya squinted at his for a moment before a lecherous grin formed.

“Ho ho ho, what have we here?” The gama sannin said as he sidled up beside Kakashi.

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

_Too tired for this._

Mirai grinned for a moment before frowning. “Kakashi are you bleeding on me?” She asked poking him.

Kakashi winced. “Probably.”

“Eh! Kakashi-sensei! Why didn’t you say you were hurt?” Naruto exclaimed, turning wide worried eyes on Kakashi.

Kakashi groaned. “I just came out of a fight with Orochimaru. I thought it was obvious.”

Mirai’s eyes widened and she twisted in Kakashi’s hold to stare at him. “What?”

Kakashi looked down at her, eyes going soft, smiling behind his mask. “It’s done.”

Mirai let out a shuddering breath. Ignoring Naruto and Jiraiya she leant up and kissed him softly through his mask. “Alright.”

Stepping back Mirai looked at Naruto. “You want to tell me what happened while Kakashi gets some rest?”

Naruto looked away from examining Kakashi through worried and surprised eyes. “Ah, sure thing nee-chan!”

Mirai waved a hand in Kakashi’s direction, indicating that he should leave while he still could, and snagged Jiraiya’s sleeve. “Go on, everything else can wait.’

Kakashi nodded and promptly leapt over the balustrade. Ryuunosuke had deposited Sasuke in one of the smaller rooms of the tower he and Mirai had taken residence in. Kakashi was satisfied to see that Akane and Haruto were watching him.

With a tired sigh Kakashi removed his armour, washed the cuts and abrasions that littered his body and lay down to sleep.

Mirai could take care of things for a while.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 40:

Kakashi opened his eyes groggily. The shouts echoing their way up the tower stairs forcing him into alertness.

_Naruto. Sasuke._

With a growl Kakashi forced himself out of bed, pulling on a shirt and his mask he stormed down the stairs.

He stopped at the room Sasuke was in a paused to listen.

“...Of course you can, teme! What are you talking about.” Naruto hollered.

“I can’t go back, I’ve got to get stronger.” Sasuke shouted back.

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

_Some things never change_.

Kakashi pushed through the curtain that gave the teenager some privacy and glowered at both of them.

“Yes, because it worked so well last time.” He snarled at Sasuke.

The Uchiha flinched and Naruto whirled around, eyes wide.

“Kakashi-sensei?” Naruto asked, uncertain.

Kakashi tipped his head to the blond. “Give us a minute, ne, Naruto?” Kakashi asked. Locking his eyes on Sasuke Kakashi stepped away from the door to let the bond teenager pass.

“Leaving the village did nothing but make you weak.” He said bluntly to the Uchiha. “What’s worse is that you don’t even realise it.”

Sasuke’s head jerked up. “You were just holding me back!” He objected.

Kakashi rolled his eyes. “Yes, and that’s why I taught you my personal technique.” He drawled. “I tried to teach you what would make you strong as well.” Kakashi fixed a meaningful glare on the teenager.

Sasuke sneered. “Teamwork?” The Uchiha snorted with derision.

Kakashi growled. “No, that having something worth protecting makes you fight harder than having something you want to destroy.”

Sasuke stiffened where he sat at the edge of the bed. Arms folded the Uchiha glared at a spot on the floor.

With a snarl and barely containing his killing intent Kakashi marched over to Sasuke and clipped him around the head.

“Stop being a fool. Do you think Itachi taunted you for no reason?” Kakashi snapped, trying for a different tack.

Sasuke’s head shot up, eyes wide as he growled at Kakashi.

Kakashi let his arms drop to his sides. “He tried to make you angry. He wanted you to leave. Now why would that be?” he coaxed.

Sasuke sneered. “He said he wanted me to get stronger so he could test himself against me.”

Kakashi rolled his eyes in despair. “I wasted my time on you, didn’t I?” He asked the ceiling. “What happened to looking underneath the underneath?”

Sasuke’s expression shuttered for a moment, doubt flickering across his eyes. Kakashi nodded at him.

“Better question.” Kakashi said. “Why would an S-Rank nin challenge a genin? If he wanted to test his strength there are plenty of other people he could test himself against. The Hokage, for example. Any of the jounin in Konoha could give him a decent fight. So why would Itachi have an active interest in your growth?”

Kakashi stopped as the thoughtful look overtook the teenagers face. “Think about it.” He said before turning to leave. “And next time you have a shouting match with Naruto put a silencing seal up. I was sleeping.”

When Kakashi left Sasuke it was to find a fidgeting Naruto standing on the stairs.

Kakashi raised his eyebrow at the blond. “Is something wrong?”

Naruto frowned and looked up at Kakashi. “Are you really getting married?”

Kakashi grinned. “Yep.”

Naruto nodded, still frowning. Kakashi tilted his head, looking at the blond thoughtfully.

“That’s not what’s bothering you is it?” Kakashi said eventually, moving to sit down on the stairs and gesturing for the blond to join him.

Naruto shrugged, mouth pulled into a thin line. It was such an odd expression to see on the usually cheerful teenager that Kakashi wondered for a moment if it was him.

When Naruto didn’t say anything Kakashi sighed. “If you don’t tell me what the problem is I can’t fix it.”

Naruto’s head snapped up to look at him.

“It’s just, what happens to the rest of us?” Naruto finally said and Kakashi frowned in confusion.

“What do you mean?” Kakashi asked and Naruto gestured wildly.

“It’s just that, what will happen to Team 7?” Naruto said sounding desperate.

Kakashi’s eyebrows rose. “Nothing.” He said. “Me getting married doesn’t affect the team at all Naruto.”

Naruto sagged. “Oh, it’s just that I heard Teuchi-ojisan say that marriage was like a team. And I thought…” Naruto trailed off miserably and Kakashi tried not to laugh.

Instead he ruffled Naruto’s hair. “You can have more than one team. Naruto.” He said gently, hand still on the younger's head. Kakashi thought for a moment. “Besides, I’d like to think of it more as Mirai joining the team rather than starting a new one.”

“So, you’re not leaving?” Naruto looked up at him hopefully.

Kakashi blinked.

_So that’s what he was worried about._

“Absolutely not.” Kakashi said firmly, he moved his hand to Naruto’s shoulder. “Besides which, even if we’re not an official team you’ll always be my student, even if I made a lousy teacher. You can always come to me, for anything.”

Naruto looked to be on the verge of tears and Kakashi dearly hoped that he didn’t cry. He was still getting used to this whole not repressing your emotions thing.

Naruto didn’t cry. Instead his usual bright grin broke out. “Thanks, Kakashi-sensei!”

With that Naruto bounded up and dashed back down the stairs. Shouts of ‘teme’ and ‘dobe’ echoing up the tower again.

Kakashi sighed and grinned ruefully.

_Some things never change._

Kakashi returned to his room hands flashing through the silencing jutsu before he collapsed on the bed again.

 

* * *

 

 

Day 41:

The next time Kakashi opened his eyes, it was to the sensation of careful fingers combing through his hair.

He hummed happily as he opened his eyes. Mirai smiled at him.

“Rise and shine sleeping beauty. You’ve been asleep for two days and I think you need to eat something.” Mirai said, gesturing to the tray on the small stone table beside the bed.

Kakashi sat up, blinking his eyes. Only two days, and that didn’t take into account his wake up call via genin. His chakra exhaustion had never been so mild.

“What’s been happening?” He asked as he reached for the bowl of rice and egg.

Mirai smiled. “Well, Naruto has been telling me all about your qualities as a teacher.” Kakashi winced. “Jiraiya has had to be threatened with an axe to groin thirteen times.” Mirai continued and Kakashi fought the urge to growl. It was typical of the Toad Sage. “Sasuke, as Naruto put it, finally pulled his head out of his arse.” Mirai went on and Kakashi wondered if he had woken up in an alternate reality.

“Anything else.” Kakashi prompted when Mirai paused.

She grinned. “The villagers have nearly completed the wedding preparations. There will be no putting them off a grand affair.” Mirai said, grinning as Kakashi’s shoulders slumped. “I believe that Airi found a kimono fabric and made me a wedding kimono fitting for the matriarch of such a noble clan.”

Kakashi grinned at that. Mirai rolled her eyes. “Don’t look so happy, they made one for you as well.” Kakashi snorted. “How did they even get my measurements?” He asked.

Mirai smirked. “I gave them a reasonable estimate.” Kakashi groaned.

He leaned back and watched Mirai through hooded eyes when he finished. “When have they set it for?”

Mirai smiled, “They want you back on your feet first. So some time in the next week.” Mirai frowned. “That reminds me, Jiraiya said something about writing to the Hokage, he said that he put the scroll in the main room.”

Kakashi sat up.

_Damn_.

He had forgotten about telling the Hokage about Orochimaru’s demise. If Jiraiya was waiting for him to break the news then it couldn’t be anything good.

“I better take care of that.” Kakashi said, flinging back the blankets and climbing out of bed.

Mirai nodded and stood. “I know where the scroll is. Did you want me to bring it up?”

Kakashi looked up from pulling out a clean message scroll and his pens. “Yeah, thanks.”

Mirai nodded, humming softly to herself as she left.

Kakashi sat on the floor and spread out his writing tools.

“Hokage-sama,

Against all odds, I am alive, and Orochimaru is dead. Please find enclosed proof of death. Sasuke has ‘woken up’ and I hope to bring him home when I return. The villagers are planning a wedding. It promises to be grand.

Jiraiya and Naruto showed up in time to catch me when I passed out. The chakra exhaustion wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I was only out for two days.

Henohenomoheji.”

Kakashi looked up from signing the message when Mirai walked back in. A black edged scroll in hand.

With a sense of finality Kakashi wrapped the message around the storage scroll and summoned Shiba.

“Yo, Boss. Another message?” The dog asked when he appeared in a puff of smoke.

Kakashi nodded and handed the scrolls to Shiba. “For the Hokage.”

Shiba scratched behind his ear after he tucked the scroll away in his vest. “Hey, Boss.” he dog started, “Did you know that she hasn’t read any of them. She has a pile of them on the corner of her desk. The others said she hadn’t read any since the second letter.”

Kakashi sat back on his heels.

_Well that explains the lack of reply._

“No I didn’t know that.” Kakashi paused for a moment. “Could you deliver it to her aid, Shizune, then. Tell her it’s reasonably important.”

Shizune, Kakashi knew, had her desk tucked in the corner of the Hokage’s office. When Shizune released the seal even Tsunade wouldn’t be able to miss the decapitated head of the snake sannin.

Shiba huffed, standing ready to go, “Sure thing Boss!”

With a puff of smoke the dog was gone and Kakashi was left to imagine the sort of chaos that would be wrought when Tsunade read his letters.

There were the sounds of chaos on the stairwell and Kakashi sighed.

_Some things never change._

 

* * *

 

 

In the two months since the Hatake had left the village Tsunade had been second guessing her decision to let him go. When his second message came she was ready to send out ANBU to bring the brat back. Lost the Sharingan? In two weeks? What the hell happened.

Instead she wrote to Jiraiya. He had been dragging Naruto through Valley Country and it would take them months to reach Kakashi in his last known location in Iron Country.

And then she had done the smart thing. Forgotten about it and refused to open any further letters. If they didn’t arrive, then she’d worry.

Tsunade had sent out the warnings about Orochimaru. But for all his idiocy Hatake Kakashi was smart enough not to hunt down a Densetsu no Sannin by himself.

She wasn’t that worried, the letters had come every week, the occasional few days of delay was easily ignored. They were still sitting on her desk waiting for her to read them.

So when one of Kakashi’s ninken appeared in her office Tsunade was ready to direct the mutt to put the scroll on the pile.

Except the mutt stepped right passed her desk to Shizune. “Boss, sent you a message, Shizune-san.” The dog barked, tail wagging. “He said it was reasonably important.”

He handed over the scroll and disappeared in a swirl of smoke.

Tsunade huffed, it was one way to make sure it was read, and turned back to her own pile of papers.

A minute or so later she whirled around when Shizune gave a strangled gasp.

Sitting in the middle of Shizune’s impeccable desk was a severed head. The message scroll sitting innocuously beside it.

Tsunade felt her stomach roll. That head looked familiar.

Shizune finally choked out. “Tsunade-sama, it’s Orochimaru.”

Chaos ensued.

Four members of ANBU sprang from the shadows. One of them, curious, peered over Shizune’s shoulder at the head. Whistling in appreciation when it appeared to be the head of the snake sannin.

Tsunade leapt up from her chair and lunged for the message sitting next to the head.

The brat had better have a good story for this.

It proved to be less informative than Hatake’s usual reports. Which was kind of impressive.

“Damn you, you impossible, foolish, ridiculous, _brat_.” Tsunade muttered under her breath. “Get me Ibiki!” Tsunade demanded to the room at large and was satisfied when an ANBU slipped out the door.

They had learnt a long time ago not to use the window.

Tsunade looked back to Shizune. “Take this to the labs. Make sure it is him.” Tsunade looked back at her desk. “I have some mail to catch up on.”

One of the ANBU, one of Hatake’s friends, Tenzo, hovered by her shoulder and she took pity on him.

“Help me with these would you?” She demanded and shoved a bunch of Kakashi’s letters at him.

She seized on of the ones with a second scroll attached for herself.

“Hokage-sama,

Firstly, I’m still alive. Secondly, I’ve found Orochimaru. Or he found me. Please find enclosed the head of Yakushi Kabuto and three unknown Sound nin. Sasuke was with him though he was rendered unconscious in the fight. I believe that Orochimaru is aiming to make a base in the old Hatake stronghold. I won’t let him.

Hatake Kakashi.”

Tsunade released the seal. “Well, shit.” She muttered.

It seemed she made a mistake when she decided that Hatake’s mail was more trouble than it was worth.

“Um, Tsunade-sama?” The cat faced ANBU began. “I think Kakashi-senpai may have accidentally made himself a Hidden Village.”

Tsunade whirled on him. “What do you mean?”

Tenzo held out the letter. “He says he’s learning Clan techniques and that he’s given an entire village use of his Clan’s stronghold.”

Tsunade rubbed at her temples. Of all the times to be without sake.

“Alright, let’s try and get these things in order.” She said, rooting through her desk for the first two letters that she had read.

“Hokage-sama,

I’m alive, I should reach my destination in Iron Country in a few days.”

 

Henohenomoheji.”

 

“Hokage-sama,

I’m still alive. I have found my Clan’s stronghold. I regret to inform you that I have lost the Sharingan. You will, however, be pleased to hear that I’ve made new friends.

 

Henohenomoheji”

 

“Hokage-sama,

I didn’t lose the Sharingan deliberately. But I have found something that makes up for it. What news of Orochimaru? I have made no sightings of Sound and nothing has reached the villages rumour mill. Do you know where they were headed?

Henohenomoheji.”

 

“Hokage-sama,

I’m alive. No, you don’t have to send anyone after me. I’m fine. The dead are being laid to rest.

Henohenomoheji.”

 

“Hokage-sama,

More alive than I was last week. New friends are good for the health. Any news on Orochimaru?

Henohenomoheji”

 

“Hokage-sama,

Firstly, I’m still alive. Secondly, I’ve found Orochimaru. Or he found me. Please find enclosed the head of Yakushi Kabuto and three unknown Sound nin. Sasuke was with him though he was rendered unconscious in the fight. I believe that Orochimaru is aiming to make a base in the old Hatake stronghold. I won’t let him.

Hatake Kakashi.”

 

“Hokage-sama,

Yes, I am alive. I have been practicing Clan techniques, I hope that when Orochimaru shows his face again I’ll have a few tricks he hasn’t seen before. The villagers have moved into the old Hatake stronghold and are settling in well. They are safer here at least.

Henohenomoheji.”

 

“Hokage-sama,

Against all odds, I am alive, and Orochimaru is dead. Please find enclosed proof of death. Sasuke has ‘woken up’ and I hope to bring him home when I return. The villagers are planning a wedding. It promises to be grand.

Jiraiya and Naruto showed up in time to catch me when I passed out. The chakra exhaustion wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I was only out for two days.

Henohenomoheji.”

That was all of them. Tsunade could remember the few answers she had scribbled out in anger but right now she was confused.

Tsunade tilted her head to Tenzo. “You know Hatake, what does any of this mean?”

Tenzo shook his head. “I have known senpai for fifteen years and I still don’t get how his mind works.”

Tsunade was left scratching her head when Ibiki strode into her office.

The Hokage looked up from her contemplation of the spread out letters and gave a relieved sigh. “Ibiki, you’re a psychoanalyst. Tell what this means.” She said gesturing to the papers spread out before her.

Ibiki frowned and went to look at the contents of the desk.

His lips twitched as he read his way through the letters of Hatake Kakashi. “I would presume, Hokage-sama, that he means exactly as he says.” Ibiki said after he had finished his perusal.

“That’s normally how Hatake’s mind works and I hear you have corresponding heads to match.” He said, pointing out two of the letters.

Tsunade’s shoulder slumped and nodded. “Yes, but that doesn’t exactly help much. I suppose I send through the bounty for the kills and wait till he sends the next one?”

Ibiki nodded. “It’s Hatake, he makes it look difficult, but he always says exactly as he means.”

Tsunade went back to her desk and brooded, dreaming of sake.

The rumours that spread through Konoha that week were particularly colourful when it came to the Copy-nin. A copycat no longer apparently.

  


A week later a new letter appeared with a dog and a puff of smoke and Tsunade nearly strangled the animal to get the missive.

“Hokage-sama,

I had a wonderful vacation I will be returning with an armoury, two small mines, a large treasury, twelve dragons and a wife.

Hatake Kakashi.”

A small whine emerged from Tsunade’s throat. “Get me Ibiki,” she paused. “And Inoichi.” She said in a strangled voice.

It couldn’t be real.

“Shizune, I really, really need a drink right now.” Tsunade pleaded.

Shizune looked up from her desk with a frown took one look at Tsunade’s face and pulled a bottle and saucer from a locked drawer and handed them to the Hokage. “What was it this time?” She asked.

Tsunade shoved the letter in her direction. Shizune read the letter and blinked in surprise.

Ibiki and Inoichi hurried into the office. It was a rare occasion that Tsunade called them both.

Shizune passed on the letter, still blinking.

“Do you think he was serious, ‘an armoury, two small mines, a large treasury, twelve dragons and a wife’,  at least one of them must be a joke.” Tsunade said gulping sake straight from the bottle.

Ibiki raised an eyebrow. “Which one would be the joke?” He asked blandly, “The dragons or the wife?”

Inoichi snorted. “Wife. Dragons are more likely than that.”

Ibiki and Inoichi looked at each other. “I’m afraid, Hokage-sama, that this is another case of wait and see.” Ibiki said carefully.

Tsunade nodded, taking another swig from the bottle, and waved them out.

By the time the week was over every shinobi and a decent percentage of the civilian population knew of Hatake Kakashi’s impending return. News that Kakashi had been sighted meant that every shinobi off duty was waiting near the village gates.

Izumo and Kotetsu shifted nervously as the the carts came into view beyond the gates. Having so many high level nin hovering over their shoulders would make anyone uncomfortable.

The head of white hair that traveled at the head of the caravan immediately drew everyone’s attention.

As they got closer a susurrus of murmurs spread through the gathered shinobi. Had Hatake Kakashi brought home a wife?

The group got closer and Genma dropped his senbon. Kakashi's hitai-ate left both eyes uncovered and was wrapped around his neck. The light chain armour only augmented by the arm and leg guards fitting snugly.

It was an unusual outfit for a shinobi and many expected to hear the tell tale jangling of chain links, but no noise reached them.

The train of carts pulled to a stop just within the gates and Kakashi grinned at them.

“I wasn’t expecting such a large welcoming committee.” Kakashi said grinning beneath his mask.

“Liar.” The brown haired woman muttered, failing to hide her own grin. Tenzo pinched the inside of his arm.

Sasuke shifted  where he stood drawing the attention of the gathered shinobi.

“And what do you have to say for yourself?” Tsunade demanded, hands on hips and glaring at the Uchiha.

That Sasuke had tried to kill Naruto had won him no favours from the Hokage.

Sasuke shifted his feet and looked down, avoiding everyone's eyes.

Kakashi stepped in front of him. “I think this conversation can wait for a few hours, Hokage-sama.” Kakashi said, casting a meaningful glance over the assembled shinobi.

The tension in the crowd broke and Inoichi coughed. “I must say Hatake, your return is somewhat anticlimactic after those letters.”

Kakashi frowned in question.

Ibiki shrugged. “No dragons.” Was all he said.

Kakashi coughed. “Actually, Ibiki.” He paused letting a wicked grin spread over his face and his eyes crinkled. “Look up.”

They did. Just as they turned their heads upwards a chorus of roars, chirps and trills met their ears. Gliding in on the Fire Country breeze were twelve dragons.

Kakashi turned back to Ibiki, smug grin in place. “And, here we have a an armoury, two small mines and a large treasury. A few Clan techniques are over there as well, but they didn’t quite make it on the list.” He said, gesturing to different carts and their contents. Kakashi grinned at Mirai. “And, last but not least, my wife.”

Mirai grinned. Aoba fell off a roof. Genma almost swallowed his senbon, Gai wept. Tsunade cheered and the ANBU forgot to cloak themselves.

Kakashi stood next to Mirai as they waved Naruto and Jiraiya off as they left again to travel the elemental nations. This time though,  Naruto was leaving with two chakra conduction knives and a sealing scroll strapped to his back.

Kakashi wrapped his arm around Mirai, running his other hand through Ryuunosuke’s mane, and smiled. Facing his father’s ghost was the best thing he ever did.

  
  



End file.
